Photo Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0Grus grus
Common crane
In spring its loud trumpeting carries far over the water and meadows. Pairs return to the Masurian wetlands as early as March.
Lake Krzywe · near Mrągowo
Lake Krzywe 10 metres from the house
A long ribbon lake with bays, narrow straits and a quiet zone. Check its depth, the fish, fishing permits and what a day right by the water looks like.
Lake Krzywe and the village of Krzywe: quiet Masuria near Mrągowo12 min readRead the guide Lake Krzywe · Mrągowo Lake District
A ribbon lake with bays and straits
It winds for 4.5 km between the villages of Krzywe, Dłużec and Krzywy Róg in the Mrągowo district, and its southern shores reach the Piecki district. Below you can fly along it, look beneath the surface, meet the birds of the water and a history that began with the ice sheet.
The lake in numbers
- 144ha
- of water according to the fishery, other sources give 141-155.5 ha
- 22.5m
- maximum depth
- 5m
- average depth
- 4.5km
- long from north to south
- 14km
- of shoreline full of bays
- 142.7m a.s.l.
- water level above sea level
01
A tour of the lake from the air
KrzyweKrzywiecDłużecKrzywy RógKrzywe Lake Houses
Aerial photo: GUGiK orthophoto map · outline: © OpenStreetMap
01The whole lake
4.5 km of water from north to south
From the air you can see at once where the name comes from: krzywe means crooked. The lake winds like a river, and its three basins are joined by narrow straits. Scroll on and paddle it from the houses all the way to Krzywy Róg.
- 4.5 km long
- 3 basins
- c. 14 km of shoreline
02The northern tip
This is where Krzywe Lake Houses stand
The houses stand about 10 metres from the shore, at the very northern tip of the lake. Right next to them lies the village of Krzywe, named after the lake. The oldest record of the settlement dates from 1437.
- c. 10 m to the water
- Krzywe village
03The northern arm
A narrow arm sheltered by trees
The first kilometre is a channel 200-350 metres wide. Both shores are close and the wind is lighter here, so it is the best stretch for an early kayak or paddleboard.
- 200-350 m wide
- good for kayaking
04The first strait
The gateway to the middle basin
After a kilometre the shores close in to about 220 metres. Beyond the strait the lake opens up and becomes noticeably wider.
- c. 220 m wide
A strait on the lake · photo Zajaclol, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 05The middle basin
Shallows you can see from the air
The basin is up to 600 metres wide. The lighter patches by the western shore are shallows and underwater humps, beyond which the bottom drops quickly. East of the basin lies the hamlet of Krzywiec.
- up to 600 m wide
- shallows and drop-offs
A bay with reeds · photo Zajaclol, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 06The narrowest point
A few dozen metres between the shores
Here only a narrow passage divides the basins. By kayak you are through it in a minute, and beyond it a completely different, wide lake begins.
- a few dozen metres
- a passage between basins
07The southern basin
Over a kilometre of water from shore to shore
The widest part of the lake, with a deep bay on the western side. Much of the shore is wooded, which makes it one of the calmest parts of the lake.
- over 1 km wide
- a bay to the west
08Krzywy Róg
A trace of an older, larger lake
At the end of the 19th century the water level was lowered. The southern part was cut off from the main lake, and that is how today's Krzywy Róg was formed. West of the end of the lake lies the village of Dłużec.
- late 19th century
- Krzywy Róg and Dłużec
02
Beneath the surface
Krzywe is a ribbon lake. Its bed was carved by water flowing beneath the ice sheet, which is why it is long, narrow and in places surprisingly deep.
On average it is only 5 metres deep, but at its deepest the bottom drops to 22.5 metres. Along the way there are underwater humps and steep drop-offs, with belts of reeds by the shores. For fish and birds that means plenty of different hiding places in a small space.
- c. 3,100Olympic swimming pools
that is how much water the lake holds: about 7.8 million m³
- c. 200football pitches
would fit on its 144 hectares of water
- 7 storeysof a block of flats
roughly the height of its deepest point, 22.5 m
- c. 1 hof easy paddling
from the northern tip to the southern one, 4.5 km
03
Birds of the water
Studies of the lake record cranes, grey herons, cormorants, hawks and bitterns. Most happens at dawn, when the water is smooth and the day begins in the reeds.
Photo Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo Holger Krisp · CC BY 3.0Ardea cinerea
Grey heron
It can stand motionless in the shallows for a very long time, waiting for a fish. It is easiest to spot in the morning by the reeds.
Photo Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0Phalacrocorax carbo
Great cormorant
A superb diver and fisher. After hunting it dries its outspread wings on posts, branches and jetties over the water.
Photo Chme82 · CC BY-SA 4.0Botaurus stellaris
Eurasian bittern
A master of camouflage in the reed beds. It is rarely seen, but in spring its low, booming call carries over the water at dusk.
04
History of the lake and village
Over ten thousand years ago
The ice sheet carves a channel
Water flowing beneath the ice cuts a long, deep trough. When the ice sheet melts, a lake fills the channel. Hence its narrow shape and the steep drops in the bottom.
1437
Kromienica by the lake
The first record of the settlement. The old name comes from the Prussian krumo or the Lithuanian krumai, meaning bushes.
1549
The village is founded anew
After destruction, probably during the Thirteen Years' War, Jerzy von Rechenberg, the starost of Szestno, grants a charter for 60 włókas, an old measure of farmland.
18th century
The first school
A school opens in the late 1730s. In the 19th century lessons are also taught in Polish, and in 1815 the village has 220 inhabitants.
Late 19th century
The lake shrinks
The water level is lowered and the southern part is cut off from the main lake. That is how Krzywy Róg is formed.
Until 1945
Krummendorfer See
This is the lake's name on German maps, and the village appears as Krummendorf. In 1939, 348 people live here.
2003
A quiet zone
The Mrągowo County Council bans combustion engines on the lake. From then on the water belongs to kayaks, rowing boats and paddleboards.
Today
A quiet village by the water
Krzywe has around 190 inhabitants. Two old Protestant cemeteries survive, and a public village beach is being built by the water.
Sources: Wikipedia, Gospodarstwo Rybackie Mrągowo (the fishery), Encyklopedia Warmii i Mazur, resolution no. VII/30/2003 of the Mrągowo County Council. Lengths and widths measured on the OpenStreetMap map. Bird photos: Wikimedia Commons · More history in the guide on our blog
Fishing · permits
Fish and permits on Lake Krzywe
The lake is managed by the fishery in Mrągowo. You can fish from the shore all year and from a boat from June to November, always from dawn to dusk. Below are the species, the spots, the calendar, permit prices and the key rules.
Fishing in numbers
- 31PLN
- a day's fishing from the shore
- 45PLN
- a day's fishing from a boat
- 3kg
- of fish a day in total, all species
- 2rods
- or one spinning rod, from the shore or a boat
- 8species
- listed in studies of the lake
01
What swims in the lake
Species listed in studies of Lake Krzywe. Minimum sizes and closed seasons follow the rules of the fishery that manages the water.
Photo Gunter Küchler · public domainEsox lucius
Pike
An ambush predator. It lurks by the reeds and water plants, and bites best in spring after the closed season and in autumn.
- minimum size 50 cm
- closed 1 Jan - 30 Apr
Photo Clément Bardot · CC BY-SA 4.0Perca fluviatilis
European perch
Swims in shoals by drop-offs and underwater humps. A good target for spinning and for your first time fishing.
- minimum size 18 cm
Photo Karelj · public domainTinca tinca
Tench
Likes warm water and muddy, weedy bays. It feeds most eagerly at dawn in June and July.
- minimum size 30 cm
Photo Piet Spaans · CC BY-SA 2.5Abramis brama
Common bream
A fish of deeper, calm water. It keeps to shoals and is caught on ledger tackle with moderate groundbait.
- no minimum size in the rules
Photo NasserHalaweh · CC BY-SA 4.0Carassius carassius
Crucian carp
A hardy resident of shallow, weedy bays. It bites cautiously, best on warm and calm days.
- no minimum size in the rules
Photo jujurenoult · CC BY 4.0Anguilla anguilla
European eel
It feeds mainly after dark, and night fishing is not allowed here, so it is a rare visitor on the hook.
- minimum size 70 cm
- closed 1 Dec - 31 Mar
Photo Dustin Snider · CC BY 4.0Lota lota
Burbot
The only freshwater member of the cod family in Poland. It comes alive in cold water, so it is a fish for the ice fishing season.
- no minimum size in the rules
Photo Aleksandar Đukić · CC BY-SA 4.0Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Rudd
It has red fins and golden scales. In summer it feeds just below the surface, among the plants by the shore.
- no minimum size in the rules
02
Where to cast a line
Aerial photo: GUGiK orthophoto map · outline: © OpenStreetMap
- A
The northern strait
Here water flows between the basins. Small fish gather in the narrows, and the predators follow them.
pike, perch
- B
Shallows of the middle basin
The lighter water on the aerial photo shows shallows and humps. Look for the edges where the bottom suddenly drops.
perch, pike, bream
- C
The narrowest passage
A few dozen metres between the shores. A calm spot for a boat when it is windy on the open water.
perch, rudd
- D
The arm behind the peninsula
Sheltered by a wooded peninsula, with a belt of reeds. On warm days the best place for float fishing.
tench, crucian carp, rudd
We picked these spots from the shape of the lake on the aerial photo. They are a hint where to start, not a guaranteed catch. Remember that the rules forbid fishing within 50 m of nets and other fishing gear.
03
The angler's calendar
| Type of fishing | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From the shoreall year | ||||||||||||
| From a boat1 Jun - 30 Nov | ||||||||||||
| On the ice1 Dec - 30 Mar, one rod | ||||||||||||
| Pikeclosed season 1 Jan - 30 Apr | ||||||||||||
| Eelclosed season 1 Dec - 31 Mar |
- fishing allowed
- closed season
Always from dawn to dusk: night fishing is not allowed. Only go onto the ice when it is thick and safe.
04
Your permit step by step
- 01
Fishing card
In Poland you need a fishing card issued by the county office, but foreigners staying in Poland temporarily do not. Children under 14 fish without a card, with an adult who holds one and under their permit.
- 02
Permit online
Buy it at zezwolenia.gospryb.pl (from age 18), paying through PayU. It becomes valid one hour after purchase at the earliest, so buy it the day before.
- 03
Or in person
At the fishery office, ul. Młodkowskiego 22 in Mrągowo (Mon-Fri 7 am-3 pm, Sat 7 am-1 pm), and at tackle shops in Mrągowo and Piecki.
- 04
By the water
Carry your permit, and your card if you need one. Checks are carried out by the State Fishing Guard, the police and the fishery staff.
Permit prices
from the fishery's price list| Period | Shore and ice | Boat |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | PLN 31 | PLN 45 |
| 3 days | PLN 55 | PLN 110 |
| 7 days | PLN 80 | PLN 135 |
| 14 days | PLN 95 | PLN 165 |
| 3 months | PLN 160 | PLN 260 |
| A year, one lake | PLN 200 | PLN 340 |
| A year, all lakes | PLN 320 | PLN 500 |
Where to buy a permit
closest to Krzywe- 01Fishery office (Gospodarstwo Rybackie)Mrągowo, Młodkowskiego 22
- 02Barbara Kawałek tackle shopMrągowo, Konopnickiej 2
- 03Pasja tackle shopMrągowo, Brzozowa 16C
- 04AMUR tackle shopMrągowo, Wojska Polskiego 1
- 05JOR tackle shopMrągowo, Wolności 4E
- 06PHU Milan (PTTK)Piecki, Zwycięstwa 60
The office also answers the phone: +48 89 741 34 22. The full list of sales points is on the fishery's website.
05
The rules in brief
Allowed
- Two rods or one spinning rod, from the shore and from a boat
- One rod when fishing on the ice
- Up to 1 kg of groundbait a day
- Up to 3 kg of fish a day, all species in total
- A child under 14 fishing under your permit
Not allowed
- Fishing at night: you fish from dawn to dusk
- Crossbows, trolling and jigging from a boat
- Fishing within 50 m of weirs, dams and fishing gear
- Combustion engines: the lake is a quiet zone
- Fish below the minimum size or in the closed season
Source: fishing rules and price list of Gospodarstwo Rybackie Mrągowo (gospryb.pl), as of October 2026. Check the current rules before you travel. Anglers clean up within 5 m of their spot, and poaching should be reported to the Fishing Guard: +48 600 243 543.
Quiet zone
You hear the reeds not engines
Combustion engines are banned on Lake Krzywe. The water belongs to kayaks, rowing boats and paddleboards, and in the evening you mostly hear the birds.
Krzywe Lake Houses · the north shore
On the north shore stand Krzywe Lake Houses
Lake Krzywe is too beautiful to see only from a beach. That is why two year-round houses were built on its north shore, 10 metres from the water: the bright Modern and the moody Loft.
Krzywe Lake Houses · Lake Krzywe
The houses stand where the lake begins its journey south. You can see the water from the terrace, and the beach with a jetty is right next door.
- 10 mfrom the terrace to the water
- 20 mto the beach with a jetty
- 2 housesModern and Loft
- up to 20guests in both houses
01
Why right here
- 01
At the head of the lake
The houses stand at the northern tip, where the narrow channel begins. The water is 10 metres away, the beach with a jetty 20, and 4.5 km of lake lies ahead of you.
- 02
Quiet without engines
The lake is a quiet zone. Instead of motorboats you hear the reeds, the birds and the splash of an oar.
- 03
A view along the water
From the north shore the lake runs south between forests and fields. The panoramic windows in the living room and the main bedroom frame that view from morning till evening.
- 04
Masuria within reach
Mrągowo is 9 km away, Piecki and Krutyń a quarter of an hour, Mikołajki half an hour. You always come back to calm water.
02
Two houses one shore
House 01
Modern
Light, natural and airy
For those who love morning light, bright interiors and natural materials.
- 130 m²
- 4 bedrooms
- 3 bathrooms
- up to 10 guests
House 02
Loft
Deep colours and an evening mood
Bold materials and warm light, made for long evenings after a day by the water.
- 130 m²
- 4 bedrooms
- 3 bathrooms
- up to 10 guests
Rent one house or both, for a group of up to 20. Each has its own bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen and living area, while the shore, the garden and the fire pit are shared.
03
In every house
- Panoramic windowsin the living room and main bedroom
- The shore 10 m from the terracedirect access to the lake
- Gas heatingwarm all year round
- Fire pitfor long Masurian evenings
- Fully equipped kitchenhob, oven, fridge, dishwasher
- Wi-Fi and Smart TVfor a rainy evening too
- Bed linen and towelsready for your arrival
- Parking by the housespaces for guests' cars
04
Getting here
Krzywe Lake HousesKrzywe 19 G/H, 11-700 Mrągowo, Poland
The houses stand at the very northern tip of the lake, on the edge of the village of Krzywe. Check-in is from 4 pm and check-out by 11 am.
See the interiors and galleryDriving distances
travel time without trafficBy the water · a few steps from the house
What to do by the lake
No need to pack the car or look for parking. You go down to the water whenever you feel like it, and the day takes shape by itself: from morning coffee to the campfire.
01Coffee by the water at dawn
That is when the water is at its smoothest and the first birds call from the reeds. Just step down from the terrace.
02Kayak and paddleboard
The quiet zone and the sheltered northern arm make for calm paddling, best in the morning.
03Sunset on the jetty
In the evening the water turns from green to copper. The beach with a jetty is 20 metres from the houses.
04A campfire after dark
A shared fire pit by the houses. A day by the lake ends without any hurry.
Questions · 20 answers
Frequently asked questions about the lake and your stay
Short answers about the lake, fishing, the houses and getting here. If something is missing, give us a call: +48 505 586 950.
The lake and fishing
Where is Lake Krzywe?
In the Mrągowo Lake District in Masuria, north-east Poland, by the villages of Krzywe, Dłużec and Krzywy Róg. It is about 9 km from the centre of Mrągowo, and its southern shores border the Piecki district.
How big and how deep is the lake?
The fishery that manages it gives 144 ha, other sources between 141 and 155.5 ha. The deepest point is 22.5 m and the average depth is about 5 m. The lake is about 4.5 km long.
Is it the same lake as Krzywe in Olsztyn?
No. The lake in Olsztyn is Ukiel, also called Krzywe. Lake Krzywe near Mrągowo is a different lake, about 67 km east of Olsztyn.
Is the lake a quiet zone?
Yes. A 2003 resolution of the Mrągowo County Council bans combustion engines here. The water belongs to kayaks, rowing boats and paddleboards.
Where is the nearest place to swim?
The beach with a jetty is about 20 metres from the houses. Go into the water carefully, do not dive in unfamiliar places and always keep an eye on children.
What fish live in Lake Krzywe?
Studies of the lake list pike, perch, tench, bream, crucian carp, eel, burbot and rudd. The minimum size is 50 cm for pike, 18 cm for perch, 30 cm for tench and 70 cm for eel.
Where can I buy a fishing permit?
Online at zezwolenia.gospryb.pl, or at the fishery office at ul. Młodkowskiego 22 in Mrągowo and tackle shops in Mrągowo and Piecki. Foreigners staying in Poland temporarily do not need a Polish fishing card.
How much is a permit for Lake Krzywe?
A day's fishing costs PLN 31 from the shore and PLN 45 from a boat. A week is PLN 80 from the shore and PLN 135 from a boat. There is a daily limit of 3 kg of fish in total.
When can I fish from a boat, and is night fishing allowed?
From a boat from 1 June to 30 November, from the shore all year and on the ice from 1 December to 30 March. Always from dawn to dusk: night fishing is not allowed.
What birds can I see by the lake?
Studies of the lake mention cranes, grey herons, cormorants, hawks and bitterns. Most happens at dawn, in spring and in autumn.
The houses and your stay
How far are the houses from the lake?
Both houses stand about 10 metres from the shoreline at the northern tip of the lake, and the beach with a jetty is about 20 metres from the houses.
How many guests do the houses sleep?
Each house sleeps up to 10 guests. Modern and Loft can be rented together for a group of up to 20, and each house stays self-contained.
What is the difference between Modern and Loft?
Not the standard: both have 130 m², four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Modern is bright and light, while Loft has deeper colours and more of an evening mood.
What is in each house?
A fully equipped kitchen, a living room with panoramic windows, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, gas heating, Wi-Fi, a Smart TV, bed linen and towels. There is parking and a fire pit by the houses.
Are the houses open all year?
Yes, both houses are year-round. Spring and autumn are the calmest seasons by the lake, and in winter the area goes completely quiet.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
The house is ready for you from 4 pm on the day of arrival. On the day of departure please leave the house by 11 am.
Can I bring a pet?
No. We do not accept animals, and the property is smoke-free.
How much does a stay cost?
The price depends on the dates, the length of stay, weekends and holidays. You will see the current amount for your dates in the booking calendar.
How do I get to Krzywe Lake Houses?
The address is Krzywe 19 G/H, 11-700 Mrągowo, Poland. It takes about 15 minutes from the centre of Mrągowo, half an hour from Mikołajki and about 3.5 hours from Warsaw.
How do I book a stay?
Choose your dates in the online booking calendar or call us on +48 505 586 950. You can book one house or both.