So, I've strictly hunted southeast Louisiana salt marsh my entire life. I've shot more teal, gadwall, and lesser scaup than I could possibly count. But it's been a little slow the past few seasons. Not too bad, but enough that I've decided I want to chase some woodies here and there this upcoming season, but I've never done so, so I have some (probably stupid) questions.

First, what exactly am I looking for in a wood duck "hole"? I have a pirouge where I can paddle into some spots that I've identified, and I may well even be able to walk in to some of them. More importantly, I know that there are woodies in the areas I'm looking at. That said, outside of the obvious timber areas, I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for. More specifically, I'm asking about size. Should I stick to finding small pond-like areas, or should I look for something a little more open? Both? I know that this will obviously come down to scouting, which I definitely plan to do, but it'd be helpful to have a better idea of what I'm looking for.

Second, is it worth investing in some decoys if I happen to find areas with ducks while scouting? I've heard conflicting, but admittedly anecdotal, information about them decoying. I definitely plan on picking up a call or two, but those are much cheaper compared to decoys.

I'm looking forward to trying something new by going after woodies, and any help is greatly appreciated!