I wouldn't dare speak for the late Charlie Brewer as to what he would have used since today he was one of the true pioneers of finesse fishing and had his "system" of Slider fishing 4" worms down to an exact science, for him. Including cutting off the bails of his spin reels. 

 

That said, I have his book (Slider Fishin') and his DVD and would recommend the OP pick up at least the book. If you fish open water with little to no cover then I'd use a ML 6 to 6 1/2 ft rod with no more than 6 lb line and slowly swim the worm using an open hook rigging. For cover like weeds, I move up to a Med power rod and 8 lb test and rig the worm Texas style. Still fish it very slow and steady on the retrieve. A truly deadly system for suspended bass.

Isn't there an old school 4-5' Slider rod that Charlie created with a Tennessee grip?  Can't imagine a short rod like that now for bass.

22 minutes ago, Big-Bass said:

Isn't there an old school 4-5' Slider rod that Charlie created with a Tennessee grip?  Can't imagine a short rod like that now for bass.

 

Why not if you're slider fishing? I've caught tons of bass using short light rods during middle school and high school - Tennessee handled Fenwick UL HMG rods and pistol grip UL/BFS Shimano graphite casting rods. Still fish them on occasion and they continue to work fine.

 

https://sliderfishing.com/shop/ols/products/50th-anniversary-fiberglass-rod

https://sliderfishing.com/shop/ols/products/slider-4-9-fishing-rod-with-tennessee-handle-blue-rod1

I just got one of the new Anniversary retro Slider rods ( 4'9") originally to use as a wall decoration along with some very old casting and fly rods. On a lark I went ahead and put a reel on it and went fishing in some neighborhood ponds. Like most of us, over the years I had " graduated" to the 7-71/2 ' rods for most of my fishing. This is what I have learned :

1. I had forgotten just how much more accurate a shorter rod is ! I am putting slider worms and small spinnerbaits under and around boat docks and cypress trees that I simply cannot do as well with my longer rods !

2. I then went to my swimming pool with a 7' rod with braided line and the short rod with 8lb. mono , both with a 1/8 oz. Spider head with a 4" worm. Could not believe how much further and faster the worm moved and traveled on the longer rod . You could definitely see how much better the worm worked with the shorter rod. I also could see the difference between the worm action on braid vs. mono. I too had fallen for the braid sensitivity claims. It might be true on a real tight line , BUT braid is so buoyant that every time there is a little slack it creates a big bow in the line that I did not get with the 8lb. mono.

As a result I am thru with long rods and braid for my worms and spinnerbaits. The only positive I can see with longer rods might be crankbaits in more open water !

My pick is an old Loomis SJR6400S IMX.  It's a 5'4" UL/XF rod rated 1/64-1/8oz, though imho it's massively underrated, I use it up to around 3/16oz with excellent results.   I use 6lb Supernatural and generally either have a Sliderhead or a brass-n-glass t-rig on it at any given time.  

 

 

Same combo used for NED rig.

Tom