That is only important sometimes, other times it is the way the bait is presented on the bottom.
What had made flippin/pitchin/punchin so deadly for so many years on so many bodies of water?
The fact that a high percentage of bites come on the initial fall!
What triggers that strike on the initial fall?
Rate of Fall!
As I said, it is only important sometimes. If the bass are hitting on the fall it is very important. If not it does not matter at all. Some days with flipping, pitching, or punching the bait is bit on the bottom and not on the fall.
With bottom lures the time frame from the moment the lure touches the surface of the water until to the moment the lure comes to rest on the bottom is the initial fall. There is no defined time frame after the lure contacts the bottom where one can say it is no longer the initial fall. It can be said how ever once the lure is moved in any fashion the initial fall is over.
The highest percentage of bites will occur during this time frame and at any moment during this time frame.
Rate of Fall is the length of time from the moment the lure touches the surface of the water until to the moment the lure comes to rest on the bottom.
The speed at which this occurs will be detrimental to your success or failure
That is very good Catt, reminds me of something the US goverment would write. Actually I think Snoopy's law applies here. :