Charlie Brewer And The Slider Fishing Technique

There is a great fish story that began in Lawrenceburg, a small town in Tennessee. Charlie Brewer Sr. grew up in Lawrenceburg. He was always tinkering and experimenting with lures and techniques to increase his catch rate. Charlie focused on bass back in the day on the little creeks around his home and then on the famous Pickwick Lake. When Charlie was able to get a boat and then a trolling motor the experimenting began in earnest. He noticed that there was always a lull in the bite almost every day and sometimes the entire day was a bust.

Charlie noticed, while cleaning the bass he caught, that the minnows inside were small. It got him to thinking. Mr Brewer began making smaller baits and tinkering with the jig heads to get the finesse rig that filled those lulls with bass and lots of them. Charlie didn’t stop with smaller baits and tricked out jig heads he took it a couple more steps with smaller line and rod and reel setups. Now with an idea that was working along with a wing and a prayer Charlie launched a bait company at his kitchen table with his wife. Charlie Brewer’s slider worm company was named The Crazy Head Lure Co.. As the technique gained in popularity and terminologies were developed to explain this technique the name was changed to Charlie Brewer Slider Company. And, as they say, the rest is history. The company is going strong today.

I was fortunate enough, while on a crappie trip with Joel Harris, a crappie guide on Pickwick Lake, to make a special trip with Joel to Charlie Brewer’s store in Lawrenceburg Tennessee. I was given the fifty-cent tour as they call it. The Slider Ladies were so nice. I learned a lot I didn’t know about the company and its history. Even though it was just 65 miles from where I grew up myself fishing creeks and ponds in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Here is a few of the techniques that was developed by Charlie Brewer Sr. during his journey of turning his love for fishing into an American dream come true.

Light Line Is Best For Slider Fishing

In the beginning Charlie had a hard time convincing bass anglers that light tackle caught more bass. Finesse fishing had still not been accepted but Charlie stayed with it and worked hard to teach and explain the slider technique. One of the most important aspect of the slider technique is light line. Six-pound test line is used the most but 4 and 8 is also used in the conditions that call for them. The light line serves a couple purposes. One is the ease in which you can cast the smaller and lighter baits. Everything is downsized when employing the slider technique. This includes smaller plastic baits to mimic the smaller baitfish Charlie noticed in the bass’ bellies. The light wire hooks were needed and the smashed jig head helped the slider rig glide through the water column. All this made easier with light line.

 The Rod Developed For The Slider Worm

Charlie knew that with the light line he would need a limber rod that was strong enough to land big bass. The original slider fishing rod was made of fiberglass and was just 4’9” in length. Fiberglass is strong but limber, bending deep into the length of the rod. It was built with just 4 metal guides and a Tennessee cork handle with no reel seat. I was lucky enough to acquire a replica of this original rod during my visit to the store. It is a replica of the original and a special rod made for the 50^th anniversary this year of the Charlie Brewer Slider Company. My plan is to couple this rod with a vintage reel and catch a few bass just like Charlie did back in the day.

Back Reeling For Slider Fishing

A spinning reel is the best for the slider technique. While other reels will work the spinning reel allows you to back reel instead of using the reel’s drag system. The back reel technique is another technique that Mr. Brewer developed over time to help land big fish on light line. Back reeling is where you turn the handle of the spinning reel backwards. When the fish runs this relieves tension, keeping the line from breaking. Todays reels have much better drag systems than those back in the day. However, I’ve seen Bill Dance back reeling and several professional bass anglers today still prefer to back reel when using light line.

Do Nothing Presentation For The Slider Worm

The slider technique is meant to do-nothing or at least as nothing as you can do. I’ll explain. The slider worm has now added action. Its tail is flat and at just 4 inches is very do-nothing. However, try and keep the slider worm still. You will find how difficult it is to do-nothing with the slider worm. A slow steady retrieve with the rod is all that is needed. Boat rocking and water current will impart a natural action on the slider worm. There’s no way to stop it. Charlie wanted to mimic nature with his slider technique. He figured if it looked more like the natural movement of the baitfish bass preferred that it would catch more fish. It worked and while the do-nothing presentation is discussed today like it is a new technique Mr. Charlie was perfecting it many years ago.

Polish The Rocks With The Slider Hook

With the slow retrieve, dragging the special slider head across the rocks, Charlie coined the phrase polish-the-rocks. This meant to keep that worm on the bottom slowly crawling over every stone in its path. With the light line and the Tennessee cork handle and reel taped directly to the handle, you can feel the slider moving over the bottom. This is when you know that you are working the bait slow enough.

Conclusion

Straight from Mr Brewer himself. “The slider worm presentation is not “success in a fancy package. It’s just a great way to catch fish when the bite is tough.” Mr Brewer made sure people understood this. I always said if you find something that bass will eat when the bite is tough, then fish it. Because they will also bite it when the bite is good. I got the information in this article from the fishingsliders YouTube channel. Check it out for great information and fishing history. If you are looking for a great way to catch more bass give the slider technique a try and check out their website at www.sliderfishing.com

The Charlie Brewer Slider Company also have excellent panfish baits for crappie, perch, bluegills and my favorite redear sunfish. Charlie Brewer Slider company employs American workers. Many work from home to package, pour and polish slider baits and heads. This is harder and harder to find today and demands notice for those on the side of keeping our money in our very own communities. Mr Brewer is proud of this great feat.

Be sure to get the book written by Charlie Brewer himself on the slider fishing technique