Ask Fish and Game: Fishing from a Camel's Back

Q. I keep hearing that it's illegal to fish from the back of a camel in the state of Idaho. I suspect this is someone playing a joke, or perhaps it's illegal to fish while riding an animal, but it just sounds funny to talk about camels (i.e. perhaps it's equally illegal to fish from the back of a zebra, a rhino or a giraffe). Can you clear this up for me? And if it's true, can you point me to the relevant state regulation? A. It's a joke. But it wasn't always. In about 1917 it became illegal to fish from the back of an animal. Any animal. The law was not specific about the kind of animal, whether camel, zebra, rhino or giraffe. This item from the 1920 Fish and Game rules made it clear: "It is unlawful: É ; to fish for trout from the back of any animal, or to travel up or down any stream on back of animal while fishing for trout." This restriction no longer appears in Fish and Game rules. But "chasing fish up or downstream in any manner" is still illegal.