Ok, I'm Fixed on the Curado now but wouldn't ya know you gotta kick in some extra cash and go to the 300 to get a 6 to 1 ratio, I'm not gonna pay the ransom for it so what did you choose?

All of my reels are considered all purpose. I don't know what rod it will eventually end up on as I switch them up as I buy new stuff. Will the high speed hurt me if I decide I would like it for plastics? Is the E5 really too slow for some baits? Which do you think would be more versatile?  

In the old days 5 to 1 was good enough, is that still true to you?    

The 7:1 will probably serve you better. I use mine mostly for wormin & light jigs. Also in the arsenal are 2 101D's @ 6.2:1 these I use for more general stuff cranks, topwaters, jerkbaits & spinnerbaits. The 7:1 is an awesome reel, I really don't think you'd be happy with the 5:1 unless you use it for a specific purpose.

just my $.02

what did you choose?

Uhhhh..........both, it was more of a matter of which one would be first.  

i got both.

at the same time.

in my fishing, the 5.1 is just as versatile as the 7.1.

Unless you are fishing for species bigger than bass or perhaps tossing swimbaits, there is no real reason why you would want to have the heft or need the line capacity of a 300. Unless you want the 6.2:1 ratio so badly.

The line recovery difference but the Citica's 6.3:1 gear ratio and the Curado E7 is only 3 inches.

CU200 E7 = 30"

CU200 E5 = 21"

CU300 = 28"

CI200E = 27"

So if you get the 300, you are just adding nearly 3 oz for practically no benefit.  With the greater difference between the E7 and E5, it would seem Shimano made the E7 to be the master work horse for all around use. I agree with no1 about the E5

I've always been hesitant to go to a high speed reel, maybe it's time to give it a try. thank you all for your responses. I think I'll buy the E7 and see how it works out for me. I guess the worst case scenario is that I end up getting both just to see! :-/

The line recovery difference but the Citica's 6.3:1 gear ratio and the Curado E7 is only 3 inches.

My dear friend, those "only 3 inches" in the real world is the difference between a lipped crankbait running well or rolling on it 's side and not working properly, I don 't mean running to one side ( which is one of the ways you can tune the bait to do, run "wrong" ), I mean rolling on it 's side, then rolling to the other.

Or viceversa, having to crank in like mad to maintain a buzzbait buzzing on top of the water.

raul, you beat me to it. islandbass, yes, it is "only" 3 inches...but that is 3 inches PER TURN OF THE HANDLE. over the course of a typical cast, that is significant.

cravin, to answer your question, i chose one of each. i have a number of 6-to-1 reels (including the citica E6) but it is nice indeed to have a 7-to-1 for topwater and lures that i work with my rod and to have a 5-to-1 for crankin' and swimbaits.

E7 for me, I figure that over the entire day it'll be alot easier to slow down than to speed up, less effort = more energy to fish!

E7 cuz they don't have an E5 for us left hand crankers.  But I did get the Citica 201E also in left hand...should somehow make up for not having a left hand E5.

The line recovery difference but the Citica's 6.3:1 gear ratio and the Curado E7 is only 3 inches.

My dear friend, those "only 3 inches" in the real world is the difference between a lipped crankbait running well or rolling on it 's side and not working properly, I don 't mean running to one side ( which is one of the ways you can tune the bait to do, run "wrong" ), I mean rolling on it 's side, then rolling to the other.

Or viceversa, having to crank in like mad to maintain a buzzbait buzzing on top of the water.

Thanks! I didn't think that it would but I tested it out not because I doubted but because my curiosity was piqued.  It did make a difference.

The 7 will be great for all your plastic applications, jigs, topwater, jerk baits, spoons, and liples cranks. I would go with the 5 for all other cranks and spinner baits (particularly ones with larger blades).

Well I ordered the E7 yesterday and I would like to say thanks to all who posted on this thread, This was one of my Christmas gifts from my wife and I'd like to state that she did a splendid job on choosing the perfect gift for me ;D. Now the only thing left to decide is who should wrap it? I think I'll handle that just in case it might need to be pre-tested on a rod to assure that the person who receives this gift will have complete satisfaction on Christmas morning.... I wouldn't want to disappoint the guy!!!!

Thanks again everyone!