Duck? What Duck?

Okay I went ducking this morning, big surprise! Up at 4 on the road by 4:30 on site by 5:15, and the Marsh is frozen solid. Boat ramp is solid ice, boat house is covered over so no Steury this morning. The day was coming on clear and cold and the geese started moving in early, getting up off the creek. I wanted to find some open flowing water so I went to a place that offered me a tax ditch 15 feet wide and wide open, cutting across a cut bean field. I set out the decoys on the jerk string, bushed up a blind spot, got the retriever settled in and started the swivel head so familiar to duck hunters. Two hours later not a duck has even flown over to look at my spread so I go out into the open marsh to check out the big water. Naturally I immediately fall into a muskrat hole up to my waist, but while struggling to get out I happen to notice that the ducks are not flying here either. So what gives? This was suppose to be the year we saw large numbers of big ducks, but I haven't seen a mallard yet in any numbers. I am giving up on the Assawoman bay and going inland to the Nanticoke river. There is some public area outside Vienna and it has always been good to me for ducks and geese. Hopefully sometime this season I will be able to report that the ducking has been great, and reached our limit. Untill then i am buying a chicken!