IAN HEAPS
The Sliding Waggler King
World Champion • Showman • Friend
Some champions are remembered for the medals they won. Some for the methods they mastered. And some simply because wherever they went, they were impossible to forget.
Ian Heaps was all three.
Ian Heaps was already a World Champion long before I achieved my own international success. He won the individual World Angling Championship in Poland in 1975 and became renowned for his skill with the sliding waggler.
But my memories of Ian go well beyond fishing results. I remember a wonderful character, a natural entertainer and a man whose company was every bit as memorable as his angling.
The Champion and the Showman
I first got to know Ian through the fishing road shows that visited Cardiff. We would meet at the shows and afterwards enjoy a meal, a drink and plenty of conversation about fishing.
There was a saying about Ian: “He’s the tallest man when sitting down!” He took that sort of humour in his stride.
And I still remember one of his extraordinary party tricks. Even after a few beers, Ian could balance a knife and fork on his finger with remarkable steadiness. It was just one of those little moments that made him impossible to forget.
Florence, 1985 — A Friendship Remembered
Our paths crossed again during the 1985 World Angling Championships in Florence, on the River Arno.
We talked about fishing, the people we knew and the years spent travelling to competitions. Those moments away from the water were often as memorable as the matches themselves.
Looking back, Florence holds a special place in my memories of Ian. It was another chapter in a friendship that continued long after those championship days.
From Ireland to West Wales
Ian also spent time promoting angling in Ireland, sharing his enthusiasm for its lakes, rivers and wonderful fishing opportunities.
After retiring from competitive match fishing, he established Holgan Farm Fishery in West Wales. His days of chasing championship titles were behind him, but his love of fishing certainly wasn’t.
Instead, Ian continued beside the water, coaching and passing on the knowledge he had gained over a lifetime in the sport.
Ian Heaps — a lifetime of fishing knowledge to share.
Why I Wrote This Song
Over more than sixty years in angling, I have been fortunate to meet some remarkable champions. Ian Heaps is one of those whose personality and friendship have stayed with me.
I wanted this song to remember not just the World Champion and master of the sliding waggler, but the man behind the medals — the laughter at the Cardiff road shows, our conversations in Florence and the pleasure of seeing him still involved in fishing in West Wales.
Because the finest memories in angling are not always about the trophies. Sometimes they are about the friends we made along the way.
A champion, a showman, but better still a friend.
Watch the Musical Tribute
Ian Heaps — The Sliding Waggler King
Listen to the Original Song
Discover the Complete Legends Collection
Ian Heaps is one of the remarkable anglers celebrated in Legends in My Lifetime — a collection of original songs, personal memories and stories from a lifetime in match fishing.
Explore the other legends and discover the forthcoming book and music collection.