It was a cold one last year, and we still had ice on lake superior into June. Ya just get used to it after awhile, but it does get old somedays. That's why we got them ice shanty's to get out on the "hard" water and get some crappie and perch...I use to fish off the back of the boat in Sabine and catch a boat load of them speckled trout. That was fun going offshore and anchoring just to fish off a rig somewhere. We would catch flat heads 10-15 miles out! The gulf is just like the great lakes...respect it cause it can kick your butt from time to time. I got friends in matagorda, freeport, one's got one foot on the porch the other in the gulf. :-D