Henry Bunta
The Bunta Trout Bait – Ruskin, FL – 1940’s
Bunta History
Henry Bunta was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Living in Ruskin, Florida in the 1940’s, Henry was big into trout fishing. He liked to fish the bottom for them but could not find any baits that he liked. Most that he found were topwater baits so he decided to carve his own out of mangrove wood. Mangroves are a mainstay in Florida around most islands and a fish habitat. Henry only made baits for himself and a few friends. There is a spot on the edge of Ruskin called Shell Point that I have fished many times and if you get down this way it is a great spot for fishing and who know……you may find a Bunta lure!
Bunta Trout Bait
Colors seen: Yellow with Red Nose & Black Dots, Yellow with Red Spots, Silver With Red Nose and Black dots, and Natural Wood with Black Stripes. Henry died in 1951 and was found in the Shipping Channel In Tampa Bay.
Much of the information on this page was obtained by utilizing the information provided by Doug Brace, Bill Stuart, and Russell Riddle in “Florida Lure Makers and Their Lures” (Currently out of print). The information we have provided is only a portion of the story. If interested in purchasing this book, please reach out to other collectors in our forum to inquire about availability.