Any small boat or pirogue will work and usually light enough to easily get to the spot.
I prefer Roger’s waders that are lightweight but have the zip in insulation.
A face mask makes a world of difference in getting birds to commit.
As for decoys, I would get a 18-24 pack of puddle ducks and call it. Get the plastic style non tangle decoy cord or use heavy mono and crimps. I would do what Leaky Waders suggested and get a whistle instead of a call. Mojos or other spinning wing decoys can make or break a hunt depending on how the birds react. I would say a jerk string is a better bet or something like a higdon crazy kicker for the calm days.
I have had a few retrievers over the years and have hunted with countless others. A good dog cannot be beat when it comes to finding birds or adding value to the hunting experience. With that being said, a poorly trained dog can ruin a hunt. They are great pets and are fun to have if you put in the time. As stated above, I have thousands in my current biscuit eater as he is well bred. He is the first dog I sent to be trained due to the lack of time. However, my best hunting dog, I paid $150 in two payments of $75 for. The only reason he turned out so well was due to the amount of time and hunting we did. I was in college and he went everywhere. With that being said, you’re much more likely to get a good dog with proven bloodlines, I just happened to get lucky.
Good luck and enjoy the best part of duck hunting, the time spent with family and friends.
