YES! LOL

Jim,

You have asked a good question. One that has many answers. I personally caught my 8+ lb largemouth on Sawyer in 10-12 feet of water by moving the bait. I work it a little different than most(My secret way).

If lets say you are working a dock that has 6-12 ft of water in front of it I throw the bait to the end of the dock, let it fall on controlled slack line, shake, or twitch it pick it up again, then let it fall again. I believe the biggest reason fish hit this bait is because as it falls it presents itself in a way that it looks like an injured baitfish, worm etc., and they feel it is an easy meal that the fish does not have to use a lot of energy to eat.

Yes sometimes like in the last two months I have caught 5,4- 5lb+ plus fish on beds using the senko by letting it sit in the bed and just barely moving it. I have also caught fish wacky style but not as often as the other technique. I feel that wacky style is best used for beds and or docks near open water.

Hope this helps!!
Russ

Another reason deadsticking might be better than motion baits might be Fishing Pressure....as the lakes get pounded and pounded, the fish begin to get leary about things that promote reaction bites and default to flight -vs-fight.....the Senko and Centipedes will remain in the strike zone long enough for the fish to get comfy that it is not a danger and can be eaten.
So......if you are following behind someone using a spinnerbait or other fast bait, follow up with a deadstick or slow crawl bait to pick off what their missing.
Just as a primer you might try challenging yourself and instead of going out to uninhabited water...look for the most crowded area and watch what they are throwing and make the adjustment...you might just find you have found a valuable weapon and an angler in front of you who is not very happy you are picking up fish behind him!.....go get em' B.L.

I for one, am a presentation guy.  Kirk and Russ' success at Potholes proves the point.  They caught lrgies with the presentation and not so much the "secret lure".  Getting the bait to the fish in the way that creates the strike, and not so much the bait itself.  Potholes was interesting for the smallies.  Most guys dragged lures both days for the smallies.  With success, but I found that on the second day right before the weigh in, the smallies on the island wanted a really fast moving lure.  Not dragged.  I started rippin a tube bait and caught two, and missed another with 5 minutes left.  Granted smallies can be very color selective. But I have seen guys catch them on green bruch hawgs, lizards and seckos.  Not so much the lure, but the color and presentation were the key.  On rare occasions, I believe you must have the "secret lure".  ( that's what keeps you going back and buying more lures. LOL)  But generally, it's about presentation.  With the right basic type of lure and properly presented is the key to consistent catching
Mark