A Slow Climb to 300

It's been a very slow climb to get my 300th carp of the year.  I got it this afternoon, a good looking low teen mirror.
I have been keeping logs for many years, and I can tell you that this is the slowest year so for (numbers-wise) of the last 5 years.  And, the slowness seems to be getting worse.  I am lucky to get one or two carp an outing, way below what I usually catch at this time of year.  Many of our RI CAG members are reporting similar slow fishing.  So, what is going on?  Here are my thoughts:

 Got my 300th fish of the year today.
It's been a struggle lately.

1. Low water- In the last month we have had only about an inch of rain.  Everywhere I go, the water is low, typical of what you would find in late summer or early fall. Low water does not favor good fishing at this time.
2. Weedy- Because of that low water and lots of sunshine and warm weather, weed growth is the worst I have seen it in years.  It is tough to fish in weed infested areas.  It won't die until the fall.
3. Lack of Mulberry Fishing- In other years I was killing them on  mulberries at this time of year.  This year, there is dry ground under most of the trees where I fish, so the berries can't hit the water, killing the mulberry fishing.
4. Pests Galore- Turtles, dace, horned pout, blue gills....there are all super active in this heat and sunny weather. The turtles will pounce on bait that hits the water at times.
5. Lack of stormy weather-  Stormy weather is a mover at this time of year that can set up some great outings.  We haven't had any.
6. Pressure- Lots and lots more carp fishermen around and they are catching them. In some ways, a good thing, but in other ways, a negative.  As fish are caught two, three and four times, they get mighty spooky about taking a bait.
7. Yahoos all over the place- July brings out a lot of knuckleheads.  I see people swimming in the polluted Blackstone River. Others will throw rocks right where you are fishing.  Still, others will throw a stick in for a dog right where your line is.  Boaters think nothing of running over your lines. The madness reaches its peak in July.