This week we lost another one of the greats!!!

[Lance Gray]

This week we lost another one of the greats!!!

Denton Hill at the age of 92 passed. He was a great friend, mentor and one of my closet fishing partners. He was a grandfather to me and Lincoln and as my Dad said “They don’t make them like that anymore”.

Denton was bigger than life – from riding his Harley’s to his Indian’s or helping youth at the motor speedway (he helped to build) in Chico. Denton is known for his charismatic smile and his wink he gave to everyone as he walked out the door. Denton was a great fly fisherman and fished with legends – the Wulffs, Sam Walton and Zane Grey. He lived a life that was larger than life and he laughed the whole time.

Denton fly fished everywhere and at times I was along for the ride. He fished for everything and anything that would grab a fly. But for all his world travels, all his records that he held – the one that upset him the most was the Black Marlin that IGFA denied due to the skipper using a flying graft that was “Mickey Moused” not to fly (and it didn't). Denton was heart broken. I have a picture of that fish with Denton grinning ear to ear hanging above my tying table it’s one of my perish processions.

Denton is a true legend and a man that I will miss dearly. I attached the link to his obituary.

Lance Gray
Fly Guide

Obituary online:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicoer/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=155447052&iadid=search-www.legacy.com-www.chicoer.com

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[Darian]

Good thoughts, Lance,.... Sounds like your grandfather was quite a guy. Nice to depart this plane with the only regret being a loss of an IGFA record. I'll hoist one in his honor tonight. RIP Denton Hill.... 8-)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think many of us in the fly fishing industry knew Denton.

He was a founding memeber of Fishing International itravel service in Santa Rosa.

He tied some cool crab flies for Permit that we sold some years ago in our shop. I think they were called "Clay Hills" ?

He fly fished all over the world.

He was a well know old motorcycle aficionado.

He took my old friend and old day Sacramento Harley dealer Armando Magri fishing with him.

As many of the true "outdoorsman" of the Great Generation, Denton had a wonderful life.

[k.hanley]

That's a beautiful post Lance.
Respectfully, Ken

[Troutstalker55B]

Thanks for posting this Lance, I was lucky to have met him back in the day. When he found out I liked motorcycles he gave my Dad and I tickets to Cycleland Speedway when he was the flagger there. I can still remember the "official" white suit he used to wear at the races. He was a really good man.

Jon.

[pmh]

Denton sure was a character. I remember when he told the story about catching the 125 lb tarpon (when he was 85) at the CAF Meeting many years ago.

He truly was a great person and one heck of a nice guy


Paul

[Lance Gray]

Bill,

Denton's flies are called the Clay Hills - infact I still make them for certain customers. He also had Tarpon flies and Crab flies.

I don't know if you know this he also had a brand of rods that I own the name for now - "The Internationalist". We built them on SAGE and POWELL blanks. I have many with his design.

Lance Gray
Fly Guide
530-517-2204
http://www.lancegrayandcompany.com