Walleye Crochet Pattern

Crochet your own walleye!

Located in the lake-country of northern Minnesota, Voyageurs National Park protects 218,054 acres. This includes roughly 84,000 acres of water that provides opportunities to aspiring and experienced anglers alike. A total of 54 fish species have been found in the park's aquatic habitats, but Walleye remains a favorite.

Pattern by Ranger Hailey Burley

Difficulty: Easy – Medium

Size: Keep the size a mystery! Pick out yarn for your walleye and use the recommended hook size. Once your walleye is finished be sure to check the Minnesota DNR fishing regulations to see if your fish falls within the slot limit!

Material:

1. Crochet hook (use recommended size for your chosen yarn)
2. Yarn (Example walleye used a multi-colored yarn to create the pattern you see)
3. Fiber fill
4. Sewing needle

Abbreviations:

ch – chain

R – round or row

sc – single crochet

sl st – slip stitch

Number x sc – the number tells you how many times you make a single crochet in each stitch

inc - make two single crochet in one stitch

dec - crochet two stitches together with a sc

hdc – half double crochet

dc – double crochet

2dc – crochet two double crochet in one stitch

tr – treble crochet

2tr – crochet two treble crochet in one stitch

Note: This pattern is worked in the round. All fins are crocheted directly to the fish. A stitch marker can be used to mark the begining of the rounds or you can take a strand of yarn (running stitch marker) in contrasting color.

Head and body**

Start with magic ring

R01 6 x sc (6)

R02 inc x 6 (12)

R03 (2 x sc, inc) x4 (16)

R04 (3 x sc, inc) x 4 (20)

R05 sc in each stitch (20)

R06 sc in each stitch (20)

R07 sc in each stitch. If you would like to use safety eyes place a stitch marker in this row. Insert the eyes when stuffing the fish on row 34. (20)

R08 (4 x sc, inc) x 4 (24)

R09 sc in each stitch (24)

R10 sc in each stitch (24)

R11 (5 sc, inc) x 4 (28)

R12 sc in each stitch (28)

R13 sc in each stitch (28)

R14 (6 x sc, inc) x 4 (32)

R15-26 sc in each stitch (32)

R27 (dec, 14 x sc) x 2 (30)

R28 sc in every stitch

R29 (dec, 13 x sc) x 2 (28)

R30 sc in every stitch

R31 (dec, 12 x sc) x 2 (26)

R32 sc in every stitch (26)

R33 (dec, 11 x sc) x 2 (24)

R34 sc in every stitch (24) Stuff fish

R35 (dec, 10 x sc) x 2 (22)

R36 sc in every stitch (22)

R37 (dec, 9 x sc) x 2 (20)

R38 sc in every stitch (20)

R39 (dec, 8 x sc) x 2 (18)

R40 sc in every stitch (18)

R41 (dec, 7 x sc) x 2 (16)

R42 (dec, 6 x sc) x 2 (14)

R43 (dec, 5 x sc) x 2 (12)

R44 sc in every stitch (12)

R45 (sc, inc) x 6 (18) Stuff again

R46 Flatten the piece a little bit and crochet the two sides together with 9 x sc, turn

R47 3 x ch, starting in the same stich with 2 tr, then crochet into the next stitches: dc, hdc, sc, sl st, sc, hdc, dc, 2 tr, 3 x ch, sl st in the same stitch in which the trebles were crocheted, cut and secure threads.

**Fins

Placement of the fins can vary. Use the descriptions below or an image of a walleye to help place your fins.

Anterior Dorsal Fin A little bit after the hump of the fish.

R01 sl st, sc, hdc, dc, 5 x 2tr, dc, skip on stitch, sl st, cut thread and secure

Posterior Dorsal Fin Start 3 stitches behind anterior dorsal fin.

R01 sl st, 2 x 2tr, dc, dc, hdc, hdc, sl st. Cut and secure thread.

Pectoral Fin placed in the middle of the fish below where the hump of the fish begins.

R01 sl st, 2tr x 2, pull thread through and secure. Repeat on other side of fish.

Anal Fin Directly below posterior dorsal fin.

R01 sl st, 2 tr, dc, hdc, sl st.

Pelvic fin Directly below anterior dorsal fin.

R01 sl st, 2 tr, hdc, pull thread through and secure

If your crochet walleye is smaller than you expected, try blaming the spiny water flea!

Spiny water flea is a tiny invasive zooplankton that has invaded the waters of Voyageurs National Park. These tiny predators eat the food that small fish need to eat and grow and are inedible to most of our young fish because of their barbed tail spine. Research has shown that in lakes with spiny water fleas, walleye are smaller, slower growing, and less abundant.

Maybe the spiny water flea can’t be blamed for mishaps in our latest crochet project, but it’s important to clean your gear before and after your next fishing trip. They can be hard to spot because they’re about the size of a grain of rice and nearly translucent. They easily spread on recreational fishing gear and in tiny amounts of water left in bait buckets, live wells, and bilge areas.

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Perch-ance you find a mistake in the pattern, please let us know. This is our first oh-fish-al pattern, so please be kind!

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