Fish

"The rock and pool,
is nice and cool.
So Juicy Sweet!
Our only wish
is to catch a fish.
So juicy sweet!"

― Gollum, The Forbidden Pool

Fish were common throughout the bodies of water in Arda. It were the chief source of food at all times in Númenor as fish were abundant through out the coast of the island. Mariners of Númenor were mostly drawn from the fisher folk. There is evidence of fishing with nets in Nindamos in Númenor and Ethir and Pelargir in Gondor. The Hobbits of the Shire were known to use fishing poles and one of their favorite locations was near The Golden Perch. The Stoors of the Gladden Fields were also a fishing community. Déagol and Sméagol (the latter later known as Gollum) who found the One Ring during a fishing trip were Stoors.

Gollum was also known to enjoy fish and he used to fish in the most unusual way, with his bare hands. Tolkien even gave words to Gollum's love for fish as a song sung by Gollum when at the forbidden pool in Ithilien.

Portrayal in adaptations

In Vivendi's The Fellowship of the Ring, Gollum throws a fish called "Xiphiidae" at Aragorn. It becomes Aragorn's most dangerous weapon. Xiphiidae are swordfish. Swordfish are saltwater fish, but that matter is overlooked here.

In the thriteenth book of The Lord of the Rings Online, fishing became an option[1].

In popular culture

The Gollum galaxias (Galaxias gollumoides) is a fresh-water fish named after Gollum due to its large eyes.

References

• The Lord of the Rings, passim, including:
  • The Fellowship of the Ring, The Shadow of the Past
  • The Two Towers, The Forbidden Pool
  • The Return of the King, Minas Tirith
• Unfinished Tales, Chapters:
  • A Description of the Island of Númenor
  • Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife
• The Peoples of Middle-earth, The New Shadow
• The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, A Short Cut to Mushrooms
• Gollum galaxias
• Xiphiidae at Wikipedia