I like a medium xtra fast for hard top water baits. If I'm using a medium heavy I tend to snap the line to hard and the med xtra fast keeps me from doing that. A medium heavy will work but remember the baits have trebles that are smaller and finer wire than a worm or jig so you CANNOT set the hook as hard or put as much pressure on a fish while reeling or you'll rip the hooks out a lot more often.