Sorry if you guys have seen this before (I did a search and it came up with nothing), but its new to me....

Caught in January 08 in a Polk county (once again) orange grove pond. Wasnt weighed on a certified scale so it didnt count. Weighed in at 18.5lbs.

Picture and explaination are at the bottom of this link. Found it on the FWC's website.

http://floridafisheries.com/updates/fb27-bass-formatted.pdf

Dosnt look 18 pounds to me.  More like he's just holding it close to the camera.  But at the same time, if the FWC put there name on it, then who knows.

Looks very possible top me. Look at his hand compared to the fishes mouth. That's a big old native Florida Bass! That lake looks familiar! I'm trying to figure it out!

 

Good point.  

I havent seen many orange groves with ponds that big, at all actually, atleast not down here.  Google earth maybe?

Is it just me or does the coloration on it look odd?    Probably just the image compression.

Is it just me or does the coloration on it look odd?    Probably just the image compression.

Not really... I've caught a lot of Bass around here like that.

Good point.  

I havent seen many orange groves with ponds that big, at all actually, atleast not down here.  Google earth maybe?

Yeah, there's a lot of homes on that lake to be a orange grove lk. I wonder if it could be Lk Mariana? It looks so familiar?? :-/

Dosnt look 18 pounds to me.

once they top about 10 or 11 they all start looking the same to me... my "ballpark" guessed get worse and worse.  

maybe its because ive never brought in one that big.

that "orange grove pond" looks more like a lake to me... and it could be one of about any dishpan lake in polk county.

Ive heard about this guy from espn. He is a trophy hunters that uses a lot of large shiners in florida to catch alot of big bass. I think i heard on a show his pb was 17 pounds so i believe that fish is 18.5

note  I am not smashing this guy for using live bait. It takes tremendous skill to catch monster bass and to do it consistently is crazy. IF i could use live bait and catch bass like that i would. I just prefer artificial.

This catch was no doubt authentic and no doubt taken from world-famous Orange Grove Pond, Bartow, Florida.

I didn't see any name attached to this catch, but I wouldn't be surprised if were world-renowned Steve Smith.

For reasons unknown to me, the IGFA has recognized bass caught in Florida that exceed the Florida state record!

Below is a list of IGFA approved largemouth bass caught in Orange Grove Pond, Bartow by Steve Smith.

Smith, Steve, 17 lb 8 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 17 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 16 lb 9 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 14 lb 6 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Other double-digit bass boated by Steve, where he didn't specify Orange Grove Lake, but it's a pretty safe bet

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 6 oz, Polk County, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 6 oz, Polk County, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 4 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 2 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 1 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 14 lb, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 13 lb 11 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 13 lb, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 12 lb 12 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 12 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 4 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Roger

This catch was no doubt authentic and no doubt taken from world-famous Orange Grove Pond, Bartow, Florida.

I didn't see any name attached to this catch, but I wouldn't be surprised if were world-renowned Steve Smith.

For reasons unknown to me, the IGFA has recognized bass caught in Florida that exceed the Florida state record!

Below is a list of IGFA approved largemouth bass caught in Orange Grove Pond, Bartow by Steve Smith.

Smith, Steve, 17 lb 8 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 17 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 16 lb 9 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 14 lb 6 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Other double-digit bass boated by Steve, where he didn't specify Orange Grove Lake, but it's a pretty safe bet

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 6 oz, Polk County, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 6 oz, Polk County, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 4 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 2 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 1 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 14 lb, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 13 lb 11 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 13 lb, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 12 lb 12 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 12 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 4 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Roger

Thanks for the info Rolo!

Chances are, your right and the FWC is wrong, but, the article says Jeffrey Smith.

This catch was no doubt authentic and no doubt taken from world-famous Orange Grove Pond, Bartow, Florida.

I didn't see any name attached to this catch, but I wouldn't be surprised if were world-renowned Steve Smith.

For reasons unknown to me, the IGFA has recognized bass caught in Florida that exceed the Florida state record!

Below is a list of IGFA approved largemouth bass caught in Orange Grove Pond, Bartow by Steve Smith.

Smith, Steve, 17 lb 8 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 17 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 16 lb 9 oz, Orange Grove Lake, Bartow, FL

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 14 lb 6 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 4 oz, Orange Grove Lake, FL., USA

Other double-digit bass boated by Steve, where he didn't specify Orange Grove Lake, but it's a pretty safe bet

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 6 oz, Polk County, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 6 oz, Polk County, FL., USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 4 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 2 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb 1 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 15 lb, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 14 lb, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 13 lb 11 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 13 lb, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 12 lb 12 oz, Polk County, FL. USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 12 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Smith, Steve, 11 lb 4 oz, Polk County, Florida, USA

Roger

Thanks for the info Rolo!

Chances are, your right and the FWC is wrong, but, the article says Jeffrey Smith.

I'll be darned, it makes you wonder if he isn't the son or brother of Steve Smith  :-?