beadleech - I actually bought the Orvis after I got the Elkhorn, to fill in the gap between the Sage 8'1" and the 3 7 footers that I already had. Now I haven't used 1wts for a couple of years - water has not been as low and droughty as it was in '03-04. Reviewing my data base, I see that the last 2 times I used the Orvis, I used 2wt lines - 1 was a Phoenix silk and the other was a 1st generation Lazer (in gray, which is a nice stealth color). I haven't gone back and reviewed my audio tape notes, but judging from the other rod/line pairings I was doing those late summer weeks, I surmise I was looking for minimizing line-leader splashdown under very low water conditions, so I may have been wanting to load the Orvis faster in short presentations.

I will have to go back through the Orvis, Elk Horn and Cabela with the same line or 2 to better fix my impressions in my head. Last summer, I used the same 4wt DuBois silk line with several dozen different rods, on the same hatch and leader but different pools in the same river. It took more than a month to execute this test, but this did solidify my thinking about each rod's personality. I need to do this with the 1wts.

All 4 of these graphite rods are suprisingly versatile, for a 1wt that is. To make that judgement I toss not just the mini-micro stuff but also beetles/crickets. And to really push the envelope, even weighted buggers. I just have to adjust the leader and casting stroke accordingly. However, being able to toss a big hook is one thing; striking successfully is quite another. I have 2wt cane noodles that are delightful for midging, but they don't have the oomph to strike a #4 bugger or streamer hook. Somehow, the 1wt Wagner cane doesn't have this problem as much, but streamering probably needs some heft in the rod. The graphites here might not be too bad in this regard, and the Orvis is the most tolerant of the bunch, but this is not the best use of the instrument.

Relative to nymphing, I haven't graduated to that yet, but I wouldn't think these light weights would be too good with weight. They might be great with sensitivity with strikes, but I wouldn't know. And for chucking big fluffy dries in brooks at short range or hopper-droppers, I would think more in terms of higher mass with a 5wt, possibly 4wt line, driven by cane or glass.

I hope all this helps you.

tl
les