The New E7's

[Fish-N-Fool]

First off I'm not sponsored by or have any affiliation with Shimano, although I would take a Sponsorship if they offered me one. I want to talk to you guys a bit about the Curado E7 baitcasting reel. It is IMHO the best casting reel on the market at almost ANY price. I have 2 and love them to death. I have had many other baitcasters in the past from old round Ambassador's to the Revo's and some Quantum's and a bunch of the older Shimano's Like the Citica and Curado BSF.
None can hold a candle to the new E7's this reel is so small and lite compared to the older Curado's but it has the same line capacity and the same size gears and drag system. It casts like a dream to I hardly ever have to adjust it going from lure to the next as long as the weight is anywhere close. It is the high speed retrieve at 7 to 1 which I like as well for fishing buzzbaits and whatnot. But I can fish cranks easy to by just slowing the reel down some. I like the looks of this reel as well the cool green paint has glitter in it that catches the light and sparkles and it fits in my hand better then the older larger reels did.



Backlashes are a thing of the past with this reel as I can cast even very lite baits with it properly adjusted with no problem. I also reallllllllllllly like the fact that this new E7's the side plate stays attached, so to no more dropping it in the water. Like i did with an old Citica. LOL
I use the Curado-201-E7 which is the left hand retrieve reel. I'm right handed so I hold my poles (both spinning rods and baitcasting rods) in my right hand and reel with my left. IMHO 90% of the guys out there are fishing with the wrong reel, so if you hold a rod with your right hand, get the 201-E7 Period!!! Don't let anyone tell you different. If you hold a spinning rod and casting rod with your left hand then go ahead and get the 200-E7
I got mine brand new off Ebay for $138 and free shipping. I wish I had 5 more but alas I'm po folks. LOL
If you are in the market for a new baitcaster I highly recommend the E7. I wouldn't trade my E7 for a reel that cost 10 times as much.

Here is a review by Tackle Reviewer that has a lot of good info on it as well;
http://www.tacklereviewer.com/review/sh ... -e7-review

[basser90]

I agree. I own or should say did own two, one went overboard at Silver with my Lami Crank n Blade rod. Huge loss but these reels are incredible. For me they adjust so easally under all the conditions I face. Wosrt being casting into the wind. Something else I noticed was with my traps for bass the retieve is perfect. It's the only reel I want to use with them. The price is good. I've got plenty of quality baitcasters but the 201-E7 is by far my favorite. Good for steelhead and tossing spoons for big a** Rufus Woods trout too. Thanks for the confromation

[Racer]

I just recently got an E7 and love it. I am also right handed but the left handed reel is much more comfortable to use.

[Logan77]

Couldn't agree anymore. I own 2 curados, an E7 and an E5. By far the best reels I own. the 7:1 gear ratio is great for fishing lipless cranks and the 5:1 gear ratio is great for deep diving cranks. You can cast a long ways, espically with braided line.

[returnofthefish]

With the advice from other members here, I purchased my first baitcaster last spring. It was originally intended for bass fishing, but I didnt find the time to learn. Ive used mainly for salmon fishing. The past few months, I have caught pinks, cohos and chums with it. It feels really smooths and its easy to use. Its the prefered reel for drift fishing over spinning reels. I leave all the brakes on and only have had minor backlashes. It would be my first choice if I needed a baitcaster again. I also used the left handed model since Im used to reeling with the left hand on spinning reels.

[The Quadfather]

I was in Sportsman's Warehouse in Federal WAy after work this evening. I was shocked to see the Curado 201E7 in a bin with a few other models, it was on sale for $119.00 that may be just a slightly different model to what you were talking about, Fishin'Fool, but it is the same real that I bought last year, and I think pretty close if not the same as you were talking about. Very nice price at that.

[Fish-N-Fool]

I agree. I own or should say did own two, one went overboard at Silver with my Lami Crank n Blade rod. Huge loss but these reels are incredible.

Could you draw me a map of where you lost it? So i can go drag the bottom. Would be my best catch yet.

[basser90]

I will say this, I've got it dialed in to a 400 x 50 yard stretch in some thick lillys Cant wait till spring. If I can't find it ( which I don't plan on) I hope some kid drags it up

[Anglinarcher]

I agree, the E7 is a sweet reel. Wholesale Sports in Spokane Valley has a few of the 201s on sale for a super low price. The reason is because a new model is (or has) coming out this year (I think a G model???)

I too have had many many many different baitcasters over my long fishing years. I have and do use a Garcia Ambassador XLT (that really dates me), a round Garcia for my Pike/Tigers, several Quantum PTs, A Diawa Zillion and the Shimano 201 E7. I can't even remember the other ones that have warn out and been tossed into the trash (like a Quantum Burner and a Bass Pro Model).

I find the Zillion and the E7 to be evenly matched. They are both fast, both cast even the lightest lures, both have good drags and gears, both have the muscle for large lures and cranks. The difference? One uses Zillion uses magnetics and the Curado 201E7 uses centrifugal. Oh ya, and the Zillion cost over $100 more.

[Teal101]

The E series has been discontinued since Ocotberish. The new G series is out now, thats why the E series is on sale or out of stock at a lot of online retailers.

IMO the E series, while a good reel, isn't perfect. It is a geary reel. My D series Curado casts smoother and retrieves smoother and my E series. My Revo SX casts just as far and has an effortless retrieves. For a moving bait such as a crank or swimbait, I do not like the E series. Bobber and Jig for salmon, or slow worm fishing the E series is great. Plenty of drag to handle those summer run kings. The D series will always be my fav though. Slightly bigger so my larger hands are more comfortable on it, and it is a tank thats smooth as butter. Nothing beats Shimanos Centrifugal brakes imo.

FYI, the new G series Curados ARE NOT the E series. They are the Caenan with a few upgrades. The G series has two less bearings than the E series (handle bearings) and is based off of the Caenan frame. The new Chronarch is actually the E series Curado frame with a few upgrades to the bearing and gearing department.

[Fish-N-Fool]

I've heard the new G series is a piece of C*** compared to the E. I will be buying more E's for sure.

[natetreat]

They did come out with a baby e series. Has anyone tried that one? I love my wrong handed e7. But I use it on salmon, and I wish it had more drag on it sometimes, because I've gotten blisters on my thumbs trying to turn those bad boys. Steelhead it's perfect though.

[Anglinarcher]

The 50 e series is pretty small. If you are tossing light lines, short cast, small lures, I suppose it would be OK, and there is a market for them, but ........

I don't think I will own my own.

[islandbass]

I saw those at sportsmans. I know I won't be buying soon a G, but I would get an E.

I realize Shimano had to do what they did for business purposes, but they lost me on the G.

Since my reels must function dually for bass and salmon/steelhead, I won't buy a 50 as sweet as those bad boys would be so a 201 for sure.

I am a 201 user also. And if one must know, a right handed reel is not necessarily for a right-handed person, or a person with right hand dominance.

Simply put, the reel manufacturer is telling us, the end user that the handle is on the side of the reel on which the hand which turn the crank. If a reel has its handle on the right side, the angler's right hand, regardless of the angler's hand dominance, will turn the handle and vice versa. Nothing more, nothing less.

Trust me, I know and learned the "hard way" Being right hand dominant myself, I bought my first baitcaster with the handle on the right side. Dumb move, especially since I had been using spinning gear cranking with my left hand.

I have since learned to fish either way, but given the chance, I have a strong preference to use LH casting reels.

Thanks for the review. It brings closer to being tempted to buy an E.

[Anglinarcher]

I agree with what you say about a right rand baitcaster just means you reel with the right hand. Still, it has not always meant that.

Right hand dominance is the norm, so they make reels to fit the norm, which means ........... OK, they got it wrong.

It really just depends on how you learn to fish. I have shoulder problems, so I get tired/sore joints after about the first 100 cast. I have learned to cast and reel with either arm/hand. It is not that hard to do.

Now, if I could just get the downrigger rods with triggers on them so my week hands did not get so tired. I wonder if that is why I hate trolling???? LOL

[KevinS]

I appreciate the E7 review and comments. I'm thinking of pairing this reel with a Lamiglas XL 705C.

Decisions...decisions...

[Teal101]

I agree with what you say about a right rand baitcaster just means you reel with the right hand. Still, it has not always meant that.

Right hand dominance is the norm, so they make reels to fit the norm, which means ........... OK, they got it wrong.

It really just depends on how you learn to fish. I have shoulder problems, so I get tired/sore joints after about the first 100 cast. I have learned to cast and reel with either arm/hand. It is not that hard to do.

Now, if I could just get the downrigger rods with triggers on them so my week hands did not get so tired. I wonder if that is why I hate trolling???? LOL

As in a trigger reel seat? Talk to a custom builder, ALPS makes some super heavy duty aluminum trigger seats that would be awesome for trolling. I'm building a salmon downrigger rod right now with an ALPS non trigger aluminum seat

[islandbass]

I agree with what you say about a right rand baitcaster just means you reel with the right hand. Still, it has not always meant that.

Right hand dominance is the norm, so they make reels to fit the norm, which means ........... OK, they got it wrong.

It really just depends on how you learn to fish. I have shoulder problems, so I get tired/sore joints after about the first 100 cast. I have learned to cast and reel with either arm/hand. It is not that hard to do.

Now, if I could just get the downrigger rods with triggers on them so my week hands did not get so tired. I wonder if that is why I hate trolling???? LOL

Perhaps the inventor of the bait caster was left hand dominant? And then all the silly right hand bass anglers knew no better and reprogrammed their hands and brains to fish the opposite way. lol!