[tjwatty]

Welcome to the wonderful world of waterfowling. Bring your check book.
Unlike treedoc, I'm a thickheaded midwesterner and I had to have the "just get by stuff." Now I have been back ,after learning my lesson, and got the good stuff. The old guy who got me started favorite saying was "It only costs a little more to go first class." And after almost 30 yrs I finally figured it out. The good stuff just works and lasts better.
I hunt similar to you, hunting the bigger waters of the Mississippi. Wide open areas and lots of water. We use big boats, 18 to 24 ft with 60 to 90hp. Gotta be stable for me.
Try and get hooked up with an established group in your area, DU banquets are a great place to get aquainted. I have a base group of 7 guys but not all can hunt at the same time so we rarely have a full blind. We are always on the lookout for "new Blood" because it takes a lot of work/cash building blinds maintaining decoys etc. And with the cost of gas now, wow.
I'll hunt about 45 to 50 days taking off only for deer season and or funerals. I've had calling lessons from 2 different world champs and Doc is right, untill you become very very good and confident leave the calls home. I've been known to take the reeds out of a guys call, and I know one guy who threw one in the river. Nothing makes me more upset than to be working a bunch and have some "expert" blow a high ball at a locked up group. With the possible exception of the guy we call "Rubbernecker" No face mask standing up in the blind with his face looking like the light house in the bay.
Listen closely to your guides, they do this for a living. If they're any good at all you'll know it. Common sense is a good thing to take along. Can't go wrong with that.
And if your ever in Illinois give me a shout, I ain't the best but my price is the best. (free)

P.S. My license plates say QUACK and my name is T.J. and I'm a duck-a-holic