Dockside bait rip off

[keithm87]

Having long seen reports of dockside having good bait, today I decided to take a trip out and buy from them. I was heading from Montpelier to St Albans, so my options otherwise were limited to Bayside in St a. So I stopped at dockside, and asked what they had for bait. Didn't think to ask what they called Pike bait vs mediums vs jumbo's. Figured for the prices  they musta had some big stuff. So with plans to chase pike, I asked for a dozen jumbos, a dozen Pike bait, and 2 dozen (labeled heavy mediums). I wandered around while the guy got the bait counted, and then went to the register, did not really feel the need to examine the bucket, and handed the guy at the counter the $45 for the bait. When I got to the lake I started setting gear, and noticed that there seemed to be perch bait mixed in, I thought I was getting a good deal. We set 23 lines between 2 people, just grabbing whatever seemed big from the bucket, by the end of setting the gear I began to notice that I was running short on bait. Mind you i purchased 48 minnows all heavy or larger, and after setting 23 lines I was down to like 10  bait left that were even big enough for my hooks (1/0's) and I had a bunch of small stuff in the bucket. This was the first, and will be the last time I buy bait from dockside. I buy bait in middlesex at ridge runner for $7 a doz and its bigger than what dockside is selling for $5 a dozen more. We were completely out of bait by 1030 after a 1.5 hour drive, and all told in the bucket was roughly 6 what I would call pike bait, maybe 2 dozen what I would call heavy mediums and then 1.5 dozen perch bait.
This is the biggest minnow I got, and there were about 6 of them this size or slightly smaller. The other is what over here would be called a heavy medium. What I had expected when I purchased the bait was 12 of the big ones 12 in between these 2 and 24 of the one on the right. What I got was 6 big, 24 of the one on the right,

and then I had 18 or so of these not sure what world these are called anything but perch bait, but apparently at dockside they are called mediums and sold at the price that I buy the minnow on the right in the above picture for anywhere else I have ever been. for reference the pictured were under 2 inches
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[perch bait]

Wow, that's weird!  My Dad and I have always bought bait from Dockside and have never had a problem with them. Although the amount of bait you get does seem to depend on who is getting it, for instance the owner usually is pretty generous, we've certainly never been shorted before. I guess we'll have to be sure to inspect our buckets from now on. Can't afford to spend 30 dollars on pike bait and not get what you paid for.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Did you at least catch any fish?

[keithm87]

yeah we caught a half pail of perch and 4 pike nothing worth while. And I am not saying we were shorted per say, but the bait we paid for did not match the expectations based on pricing. I have always bought most of my bait from small local shops, in ST J I went to flanders, and now that I am in Montpelier I go to ridge runner. I pay $7 a dozen for heavy mediums here and if they are running small the guy lets me know ahead of time and tosses a few in for free. I understand that the bait shop does not have a say in bait size, but they are the ones that place a label on it and set the price. I am willing to pay the price for the bigger bait, but don't try to pass off 2 inch minnows as heavy's, and 3 inch minnows as pike bait. When I bought from flanders the "jumbo/xl" as they are called by the shops on Champlain was called "pike" and was sold at $10 not $19. You know its an issue when your catching a 9 inch perch that can be sold for .65c on a bait that cost you $1, and that was how my day went.

[keithm87]

I know they are fatheads, that was the problem, I had 2 dozen of those (which I did not want) and was out of usable bait in 2 hours of fishing we only had 30 proper sized bait when we had bought 48. I have been to north country a bunch of times and always had decent luck, and will have to consider that next time.

[williev18]

Those do seem undersized for the pricing, i buy from Flanders and he is pretty honest with his sizing compared to some of the others. Unfortunaily the bait laws have the dealers held hostage having only one supplier to get them from. If there are no jumbos in a load then pike bait becomes jumbos, and so on. Ive gotten to the point now if im fishing pike ill buy just enough shiners to get my tip ups baited up the first time, then i jig for small perch, or smelt to keep me going the rest of the day.

[cbice]

I haven't even been out yet.  Though I have already been told this is the worst year yet since the bait laws went into effect.  Each year I ice fish less because of these bait laws and the prices that go along with them.

[Light liner]

Yes
It sucks, I've burned they're too many times.
I agree they are crooks.

[TLN]

Dockside doesn't grade there bait the come in graded from the same place as 95% of the bait shops in vt this time of year the bait size is a bit smaller than in the later month I think your a bit butt sore and could have handled this a bit different like call the owner (Dustin) he would have taken care of you so you were 100% satisfied he's a business man and wants to have good costumer relations not some butt sore jackass sitting on the computer b***hing when you could have been a satisfied customer.

[iceUP207]

  Well said TLN

[DunmoreFAn]

I have to agree no need to bash a business on a social media site unless you went to them and they didnt make the issue right... even then....they are trying to make a living just like you, When he has to shut down due to lack of business from the post you made and has to collect welfare to survive you will b*** about having to pay that to!

[keithm87]

Good customer relations is not creating a problem in the first place. I have heard nothing but good things about dockside in the past and the former owner was a contributing member of this forum and was seemingly held in high regard. The fact that a person who has basically never posted on this forum is telling me not to post really doesn't give you a lot of credibility in my eyes. I took pictures of the bait, if you can say honestly that they are receiving in fatheads as mediums when every other shop is selling them as perch bait then you may not have been to other shops. I have been to shops all over the state, and never felt like I was shorted on bait. I have had bait die from being stored too warm at the shops, I have had bait with fungus from the water not being changed enough, I have had seen half the minnows in a tank floating dead when I arrive at the shop, but I have never once felt like I was sold one thing and given another. I paid over $40 for 4 dozen bait and ended up with about 30 acceptable size bait, and at any of the shops i frequent I would have paid under $20 for what I actually received ($6 for the half dozen pike, $10 for the heavy's, and $3 for a half cup of perch bait), but I paid $19 for 12 jumbos, $12 for 12 pike, and $10 for 24 heavy's (might be a different price mix but close). You may be buddies with the owner, and that is all fine and well, but one thing that your "business man" buddy should know is that happy customers are the ones that don't have to contact them over issues. I shouldn't need to call them, I should go in, get what I paid for, have a good day on the ice, and come home and post pictures of the fish I caught and how happy I am with the bait. I should not need to watch the guy as he counts my bait. I agree in part that I should have asked to see what the sizes were, but I don't think the pictures of the bait lie. And yes BTW I was wicked f****** butt hurt when I drove 1.5 hours  spent $42 on bait and run out of usable bait by mid morning. I was pulling my tip ups as they went off starting at 11am. It would be one thing if I was just dumb and bought too little bait, but I bought enough and just did not receive the goods I purchased.

[keithm87]

Dunmore I would say that you are right to an extent, but it is the world we live in. This forum is here specifically for this sort of stuff. People may have differing opinions on things, but the reality is that in the modern world you gotta get it right the first time. I spent $42 on bait $40 on gas, and an entire day of fishing went from chasing pike to perch jerking because of the issue. And yes everyone is trying to make a living, but gouging hard working fisherman is not the avenue for that. But lets not get into the pricing on everything else at dockside like $6 1lb propane canisters or $14 aerator's that sell for $7 at walmart.

[Dustinbushway]

I am sorry you had a bad experience at my store.  To call me a rip off is not only childish but wrong.  You did not pay $19 for jumbos you paid $16 plus tax.  I pay $11 per lb you get about 1.5 dz per lb of jumbos and 2-8 minnows will die just due to stress from being bounched around from the bait farm to Hog Island them in a truck to my store.  I make $2-3 per dz.  Now that $2-3 dollars needs to pay my rent for my store,power, internet, insurance.  I need to also my for a home to live in with all the bills that go with living.  Oh if you paid with a credit card I need to give them 3% just for swiping.  My $6 propane cost me $4.50.  I believe my $14 pump is $12.  I will look at my cost.  I have this bait shop for the fishermen, not to ripp anyone off.  Clearly you do not know me and all I do for my community.   I am not getting rich.  I am a single father who works over 100 hrs a week.  Please send me your address I will mail you a check with a full refund plus the $40 you spent in gas.  My name is worth way more than that. By me saying this, I am not trying to make up for being a rip off in your eyes. I know I am not but  I feel bad your day was ruined.  If you would like you can pick up cash or let me know the next time you are up and what bait shop you will be getting bait at and I wil make sure I get your money over there.  Feel free to stop by anytime you want or call me 802.881.8441.  Again I am truly sorry if I or anymone who works for me or was helpeimg me out by scooping bait  ruined your day. 

[TLN]

I didn't say not to post I simply said you could have handled it different dockside isn't like
 Other shops he's not located out in the country things cost more like rent. But because
I've only made 3 posts what do I know right. I know that social media can have a huge impact on
a person or business and that was my point. If you know how the bait business worked you might have a clue
like minnows are graded by with not length but you probably have a argument about that too. You put a lot of effort
into making your post but it would have been to inconvenien to call the owner ? Looks like you just wanted to start
a bunch of BS have fun fishing looks like your next trip is on dockside

[troutcrazy]

I find Dockside to be generous and helpful, every time.

[Dustinbushway]

Keith I found your  transaction from yesterday. 
You were charged
$16 for a dz Jumbo
$12 for dz Pike Bait
$8.25 for Heavy Mediums
$2.89 for spikes

Your total with TAX was $41.88.  Looks like you paid for 3 dz bait and you feel 30 where up to your standards.   Your credit card has been refunded.  Let me know how I can get you your gas money.  I don't feel like I  should be blasted on this forum over six minnows.