Currents too strong
Barometer rising
Wind "clocking" around
East wind
Barometer falling.
Too calm
Fish shut down just before we started
The lake needs a good storm to stir them up.
Fish are not here (or they'd be hitting)
No currents
Foggy
Sunny
Too windy to control boat
Wrong moon phase
Fish facing wrong way
Trolling wrong directions
Too many bait fish
Not enough bait fish
Didn't have right lure action
Didn't have right lure color
Single hooks
Treble hooks
Didn't have enough time
Water too rough
South wind
Gear not working properly
Partner not fishing seriously
Trolling motor troubles
Cloudy
Others fishing our spot
Lost fishing coordinates
Couldn't see landmarks
Should have fished elsewhere
North wind
West wind
Upper level low (Bonehead)
Hooks dull
Not watching downrigger
Fish hit during nature call
Short net handle
Inept netter
Inept captain
Shakedown trip (checking equipment out)
Followed another fisherman's advice
Gloated about successful prior trip
Jinxed
Bragged about last trip
Neither fishing major or minor
Fish "Hitting Short"
Fish "Slapping lure with their tails"
Recent thunderstorms
New equipment
Tackle in other tackle box.
Skim ice
Net not "Dipped"
Weights Wrong Color
Too prepared - even brought cooler ice
Trolling too fast
Trolling too slow
Forgot beer
Didn't remove hook protector
High winds push fish to bottom
Sun facing wrong way