Striper Fishing Not Good

Striper fishing has not been good in the last week for me.  I'm working on the very worst September I have ever experienced for striper fishing here in RI. Sadly, it is that bad. Oh, there are a few fish around and you hear of fishermen occasionally having a good day/night if they are at the right spot at the right time but the overall picture is not good. Heck, I don't see hardly any fishermen even out trying from shore.
We are now in late September and the fishing should be really perking up.  It's not and here are a few reasons why I think it is not happening:
*Lack of resident fish close to shore.  Yes the numbers are way down and it's having a big effect on the fishing.
*Lack of bait close to shore.  I see birds working here and there but everything is way out much like it was last year.  I've seen no mullet yet this year.  Where are they? There is a lot of bait (peanut bunker and large menhaden) way up in Gansett Bay but whether we see that bait along the oceanfront remains to be seen.
*Migrations have not started yet.  I think you will see better numbers of fish once the fish start migrating but you might have to wait till late October to see that.
*Very few keepers around from shore in RI- This is the way it has been all year with few keepers around. However, even schoolies have been scarce lately.