I usually fish soft plastics and it seems like I get 75% of my strikes seconds after it hits the water, usually on the initial fall.  I do catch some on the retrieve, but no where near as many.  Sometimes I feel like I'm wasting my time leaving it out there if I don't get a quick strike.  How do you guys feel about this.  

Soft plastics are my strong suit. I fish them methodically as long as I feel I'm in the zone, that is,  productive water, strucure and cover. I sometimes get a strike on the initial fall, but not generally and certainly not 75% of the time.  

Warrior-I didn't mean I get a strike 75% of the time.  I meant of all the strikes I get, 75% of them are on the initial fall, not on the retrieve.

Redtail,

Maybe my response was confusing. I know what you meant. The majority of my strikes come after moving the bait off the bottom. The strike is often just as I move it. I think the bass are curious and just looking at it or maybe feel the movement and strike. When I do get a strike on the initial fall I think it's because I happen to cast right on top of the bass. In those instances, the strike is most likely a reaction strike. Otherwise, I feel like the general bite on soft plastics is a feeding bite.

i agree with RW...i have been told by many that most of the bites on plastics are on the initial fall.  but my experience is that they strike most often on the retrieve.  i have no idea why my experience is different than others, but i have grown to expect strikes in this fashion far more than the other way around.

with me alot of my strikes are on the initial fall. or maybe on the first or second twitch after the fall. i still get a few strikes on the retrive, but i get more on the initial fall or on the very beggining of the retrieve.

i feel that way about senkos, i don't think i've ever caught a fish retrieving them. i always catch them on the initial fall.

Most of my senko bites do occur on the initial fall. But i've certainly gotten plenty of bites after the bait has hit the lake bottom. I've had fish follow the senko all the way up to the boat and then dart back down so I know they keep their eyes on it even when it is rising to the surface and not just on the downfall.

Usually I get the strike OFF the bottom, not on the fall. Now it happens on the fall, but not even 50% for me.

most of my bites are when i deadstick it or jiggle it a couple of times. especailly for smallmouth,when you deadstick a senko you will nail them

I definately get most of my bites right after the cast. Not always on the initial fall, but within reeling less than 1/4 of the line back.

most of my fish hit on the fall or a few reels later