what is a legal fly?

What you need to know first is your hook can not have a gap larger than 1/2 inch, even if it started smaller and bent open, so start with a somewhaty smaller gap and save yourself any problems. There was a guy that used to fish in the fly only zones that was proud of his pipe cleaner wrapped on a hook fly. 

That is who I meant. Every time he used a different color pipe cleaner it was like he invented a new pattern. Point was it was a legal fly. 

I have always been under the belief that a fly, in order to be a real fly had to have at least 2 different materials.  However, according to the NYS Freshwater Fishing regulations for 2006-2008 (revised) page 7 says
 
"Artificial Fly means a hook with no more than two points dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel or any similar material to which no additional hooks, spinners, spoons or similar devices have been added."  
 
Of course you can only have one hook point on the Salmon River and all Great Lakes tributaries.
 

Thank you guys..  I'll up size my Erie flys and give it a try maybe..
 
hope I can hook up with someone on the river that can lead me to a area to fish..    Thanks again..