While fishing a tournament in Tennessee, I watched locals using a plastic worm with a slip bobber attached. They would

cast it out and let the worm slip to the bottom then retrieve it using short jerks. Has anyone here used this technique to

any success for bass fishing?     ?

 

Yes, but not often. Its a staple in the salt with lures and bait.

We use popping corks in saltwater for trout and I use tiny popping corks for crappie but never done it for bass.

 

Probably works, but I'm sure there's better options

One method I've heard about is fishing a wacky rigged worm ( senko type ) under a bobber on a windy day. Cast it up wind, the waves, riffles on the water will keep the bobber bouncing which will keep the worm moving. The wind will move the bobber, covering water. I've heard it's effective keeping a worm just above a submerged weed bed.

Yes, for wacky rigs. But not often. And...ahem...for bass fishermen,

we call them floats  . Makes them sound less "stuff of kids".  

Certainly. There is no doubting the effectiveness of the slip bobber. However, we bass anglers love imparting life into our lures to entice bass to bite, which float fishing doesn't allow much for us save the short jerks you mentioned. That is my thinking as to why it isn't a technique bass anglers would employ as a first choice.

 

It's a killer set up for crappie and blue gills and perch when I target those species for fun, but the incidental bass gets caught.

 

I will not hesitate to employ it to target bass if I deem it my best change to catch them. The advantage of the slip bobber is it's ease to adjust the depth you want to set your bait. It's kind of like the "set it and forget it" of the fishing world.