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Classic Baits: Charlie Brewer Slider

Wade's World Fishing: Tennessee’s Charlie Brewer, one of the true legends in bass fishing, spent his life teaching anglers the merits of his Slider worms and do-nothing technique. This may have been the original finesse presentation: a light planer head jig with a 4-inch straight-tail worm. The name is a fitting description of its action; this jig/worm literally “slides” through the water with very little tail movement.

Brewer described the Slider as“dessert bait.” It’s a lure that bass will still bite even after they have fed heavily. It is small, subtle and tempting for a fish to suck in as it “slides” under its nose.

Fishing the Slider requires light spinning tackle and light line (4- to 8-pound test monofilament). The “do-nothing” presentation is simple: cast the lure out, reel up slack, then slowly sweep the bait up with the rod tip and allow it to sink again. The Slider can be fished off the bottom or at any depth in the water column.

To order Sliders and to learn more about fishing them, visit the web site for the Charlie Brewer’s Slider Company: www.fishingworld.com.

Here are more tips for fishing the Slider with Charlie Brewer’s do-nothing technique.

  • Sliders may be rigged with the hook exposed (Slider jig) or with the hook buried in the worm to make it weedless (Spider jig).
  • Fish the slider around dock pilings, boat slips, stumps, brush, logs, etc.
  • Using the do-nothing technique requires patience. Fish the Slider slowly, making it look as defenseless as possible to bass.
  • If a hooked fish buries up in brush or other cover, don’t try to horse it out. Instead, simply keep light pressure on the fish and wait for it to swim back into open water.
  • Set your reel drag properly, or better yet, learn to back-reel, giving line to a fish when it runs and taking it back up when you can. This is a very effective means of playing a fish on light tackle.