Here in New Zealand the Matuka's, Bi-hackles, pukeku, and killer style "flies" are generally referred to as lures in the tying books. Feather and hair wing streamers would be as well.

However, this discussion always seems to end up being about a definition, and most of the disagreements seem to focus around how different areas use the term "fly" and "lure". For example, I agree with Alan, that all flies are lures, though not all lures are flies. Crankbaits, rubber worms, spoons, etc, are lures and certainly not flies.

Now, the real point, is what is it that people mean when they say "fly"? There are some areas where the term fly is used as a broad category term to apply to the kind of thing you are allowed to use on fly only water, regardless of what it is supposed to represent. So "fly" is used as a high level all inclusive type term.

Others use the term "fly" to designate a particular subset of patterns that can be used in fly fishing only waters, and specifically these are used in reference to a winged insect. Some will not call a nymph pattern a fly because, to them, it's a nymph. Streamers (feather and hairwings) represent bait fish, and they are called things like "streamers, bucktails, squirrel tails, etc depending upon local. Some use streamers for all of those, others break them down into the terms listed, some will lump them all into a category of "lure", which includes crayfish patterns, swimming nymphs (the NZ killer patterns of often thought to imitate various dragon/damsel fly nymphs, etc) and such.

Having grow up in Nova Scotia, to me the term fly is used for all "fly fishing legal lures". If I want to differentiate, I get into terms like "dry fly, wet fly, nymph, spider or soft hackle, streamer, etc".

People seem to take it personally if other areas/people use the term "fly" differently and their favorite pattern no longer is granted the title of "fly" (or the other way round) - but that is language. What the question is really asking, though, is "Do you use the term fly to refer to this type of pattern?".

Remember, the only time it matters is if the ranger is checking what you've got tied on the end of your line.

- Jeff