Fish Template
Print a fish template for free. Choose a classic fish with a forked tail, a round fish with a fan tail or a long fish with a deep fork, facing left or right. Print it whole, as pieces (body, tail, two fins and a side fin with glue tabs) to cut from different colours, or as a two-sided pair to staple and stuff with scrap paper. Draw scales, stripes or spots on the body, or leave it plain, and add loose scales to cut out and glue on in rows. Type names to print one on each fish. Set the length from 2 in to a full page, or a poster up to 48 in tiled over several sheets, and fill the sheet with small fish for a class. Print the outline to colour, or a colour version. A check square shows the print is true size. Download a PDF on US Letter or A4, an SVG cut file or a PNG. No sign-up, no watermark.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Names stay in your browser; the PDF, SVG and PNG are made on your device.
Fish
Names on the fish (optional)
Pattern
Lettering
Runs in your browser with our own code; names never leave your device, and nothing is saved. Every fish is our own drawing. Every piece is placed so it fits the sheet. The PDF is true size: print at 100% (Actual size) and check the square.
How to print a fish template
- Choose the fish shape, whole, pieces or a two-sided pair, and the length.
- Choose the pattern, which way it faces and any loose scales.
- Optional: names, the colour version or “Fill the sheet”.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size); measure the check square. There is also an SVG (true size, for Cricut, Silhouette or laser cutters) and a 300 DPI PNG, one per sheet.
- Cut out the fish (and the pieces or scales), colour it and glue it together.
What you can use it for
- Ocean and under-the-sea classroom displays
- Stuffed paper fish and mobiles
- Scale collage with paper, foil or tissue
- Fishing games with a paper clip on each fish
- Cutting practice with the dashed outline
Fish sizes
| Length (nose to tail) | Height: classic | Height: round | Height: long | Whole fish per US Letter sheet | Per A4 sheet | Two-sided pairs per Letter sheet | Letter sheets for one fish in pieces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in (10.2 cm) | 6.7 cm | 9.7 cm | 4.8 cm | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 6 in (15.2 cm) | 10.1 cm | 14.6 cm | 7.3 cm | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 in (20.3 cm) | 13.4 cm | 19.5 cm | 9.7 cm | 1 | 1 | 1 pair on 2 sheets | 1 |
| 9 in (22.9 cm) | 15.1 cm | 21.9 cm | 10.9 cm | 1 | 1 | 1 pair on 2 sheets | 2 |
Worked out by the tool with 4 mm gaps between pieces and the check square on the sheet.
Poster fish
| Length | Height (classic) | US Letter sheets | A4 sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 in (45.7 cm) | 30.2 cm | 4 | 4 |
| 24 in (61 cm) | 40.3 cm | 8 | 8 |
Big fish are printed in pieces with overlap guides: trim, overlap and tape the sheets, then cut out the fish.
Patterns and pieces
| Choice | What prints |
|---|---|
| Scales | Rows of curved scale lines on the body, behind the gill line |
| Stripes | Three wavy stripes across the body |
| Spots | Round spots, all inside the body and clear of the eye |
| Plain | Outline, eye, gill and fin lines only |
| Pieces | Body, tail, two fins (each with a glue tab) and a side fin |
| Two-sided pair | The fish and its mirror image, to staple and stuff |
Every fish is our own drawing, with no characters.
Fish craft ideas
- Hang a school of fish on a line from the Bunting Template.
- Make an under-the-sea lantern with the Paper Lantern Template.
- Make a sea-creature mask to go with it from the Mask Template.
- Pick ocean blues for the scales with the Color Palette Generator.
More free printables
Making an ocean display?
Bunting, paper lanterns, masks and colouring pages from photos: free tools that run in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
What fish shapes are there?
Three of our own: a classic fish with a forked tail, a round fish with a fan tail and a long fish with a deep fork. Each can face left or right.
Can I print the fins and tail separately?
Yes. Choose “Pieces”: the body, the tail and two fins come with glue tabs (the dashed lines), plus a side fin to glue on top.
What is the two-sided pair?
Two copies of the fish, mirror images of each other. Colour the outsides, staple or glue round the edge and stuff with scrap paper before closing it.
What are loose scales?
Separate scale pieces to cut out and glue on in rows, from the tail forward. Each is 0.12 times the fish length across: 24 mm on an 8 in fish.
What sizes can I print?
From 2 in long up to a full page on US Letter, and posters up to 48 in tiled over several sheets. The tables on this page show the height of each shape and how many fit on a sheet.
How do I check the print is the right size?
Measure the check square on the first sheet: it must be exactly 1 in (or 2 cm with cm units) on each side. If it is smaller, print again at 100% or Actual size, not Fit to page.
Can I use it with a Cricut or Silhouette?
Yes. Download the SVG: it is true size in millimetres, with the cut lines on their own layer.
Can I sell things I make with this fish?
The designs are our own drawings: you may use them and anything you make with them, including things you sell, with no credit needed.