You can start with the Hunting and Fishing news as soon as the season starts, I know alot of guys hate this publication but if you need a quick reference as to where to go, it does ok, just remember anywhere it says to hunt usually has a ton of guys, but it is good for a jumping off point, and explore it out from there.
You didn' t say where you were from, but alot of areas on Puget Sound can provide some damn good shooting, try river estruaries and just about anyplace where fresh water may dump into the sound, just remember most areas on the sound are tide depenant, meaning you may only get shooting at high or low tides, depending on the situation.
As far as local lakes go I have not had much luck with the ones I' ve tried. But I will admit to not putting much time into hunting them, or scouting them either.
Creeks and rivers are great if we get a really good freeze, I mean a good one that puts a crust of ice on even the bigger local lakes, leaving the creeks and rivers the only open water, ducks will pour into certain areas. But it' s been a coupla years since we had a good artic blast
If you give me some information on where and what exactly your looking for I maybe of more help to you. Good Luck and hit the skeet range and sharpen that shooting eye