"My typical early-season spread of 18 decoys includes seven to eight black ducks, three pintail drakes-and the rest mallards. In the later season, my spread of 36 decoys includes 24 black ducks, three pintails, and nine mallards."

Nemecek likes magnum-size decoys-not super magnums, and not standards. He explains, "I can carry more magnum decoys than super magnums. Also, I feel that in a marsh, numbers are more important than extra-large size." He rigs his decoys with Tanglefree lines and weights and keeps them in a mesh bag for transporting.

He allows the ducks to dictate where he sets his spread. "If I get to my chosen hole before shooting time, and I flush ducks off the water, I'll set my decoys where they got up. They were there for a reason. They may not always be on the upwind side of the hole, but I don't try to out-guess 'em. I just put the decoys where the ducks were." If he doesn't flush ducks, he sets his decoys at the spot that provides the best cover for hunting with the wind at his back.

He doesn't use standard patterns like a J-hook or U. "I believe these patterns become familiar to ducks that see them day after day. Instead, I set my stool in small family clusters with three to six decoys per cluster. Now the overall pattern may be a J or a U, but it's loose. The clusters don't run together to form long strings."

Nemecek sets his most natural looking decoys closest to where he's hiding. "I think when ducks get in close, detail can make a difference. I feel they come to the best, most realistic decoys, and I want these right in front of my blind. I always like to have a hen mallard closest to my calling location."

He also sets several motion decoys in this area. In the past, he has used three to four wobblers or feeding decoys, but now he uses a half-dozen H20 Magnets scattered throughout the close portion of his spread. These water shakers create a ripple on calm days that adds life to his spread.

Nemecek offers one other tip for hunting in marshes. "When I'm working ducks, I'll call 'em until it's time to shoot. I don't quit calling when they head in my direction. Now I may tone down the volume and change my cadence, but I still coax the ducks all the way to the water. I feel that too many hunters lose birds' attention when they quit calling."