Good choice dude!!!

I have a few curados and love them. The 7:1 is a high speed reel, and great for flippin or burning spinnerbaits, or chucking frogs deep into the thick stuff and needing to gain a lot of line quick...and as Aric and Ben mentioned, you can always reel it slower if needed.
Being your first baitcaster, and needing to find a home on a single rod, find a 7' or 7'2" MH rod with a fast taper.

A rod thats very versatile and capable of a lot of things, IMHO