stupid question, but what is meant by "deadsticking"?

You cast out a soft plastic and just let it sit there. Don't move it, don't shake it, Don't breath on it.

Boringgggggggggggggggggggggg, but it does work at times.

Letting a soft plastic sit still for extremely long periods of time.  One cast for example might last as long as 5-10 minutes.

Doing nothing with your lure. It just sits on the bottom, sometimes completely still, sometimes just moving with the drift of the boat. Either way, the fisherman does nothing but let it sit.

About the only time I ever "dead stick" is when I get a backlash and have to spend time picking it out -- however I have caught a lot of fish this way when I wasn't expecting to. 8)

About the only time I ever "dead stick" is when I get a backlash and have to spend time picking it out -- however I have caught a lot of fish this way when I wasn't expecting to. 8)

hehe, i've had that happened a couple times to me

About the only time I ever "dead stick" is when I get a backlash and have to spend time picking it out -- however I have caught a lot of fish this way when I wasn't expecting to. 8)

Then what does that tell you??

Brad

About the only time I ever "dead stick" is when I get a backlash and have to spend time picking it out -- however I have caught a lot of fish this way when I wasn't expecting to.  

That is how I learned about dead sticking-picking out a backlash ;D

Deadsticking is done mainly with minnowbaits like rapala's and smithwick rouges you drop them straight down and twitch them.  I have used the Rapala countdown jointed in the bright blue/yellow color with great success around bridges and deeper channels(10'+). I have also used plastics like worms and brush hogs carolina rigged too.  The jointed shad rap rapala's have a great fall rate with a snap swivel too.    

That is how I learned about dead sticking-picking out a backlash ;D

With my (lack of) patience, that's about the only way I could ever do any serious deadsticking.  :

yes, boring but deadly

on a day when you aren't catching fish deadsticking may be your only choice.i don't think anybody would pick it as a first choice but it has it's time.i have caught some really nice fish doing it.the thing i really hate is that unless you keep the line fairly tight and watch it like a hawk and gently check for extra weight on your line your chances of gut hooking fish go way up.i also learned about it after a baclash and when i was done i thought i had weeds.it turned out to be weeds and a 5 lber.!!!