FNG need some advise on a pond setup

I just bought 10 acres, and on it is awater catch/not quite a pond. Someoen who had worked on the property before we bought it said the tank wont hold water. I will try to give u rough guess the size as it sots now: about 625ft long, and at it widest about 90ft. Of that 625ft length, i want to make 200ft of it a pond for foshing and animal water source. That area is about 12ft+ deep. I wish i could load picture for youall to see the said pond.


I have been looking at a way to seal the pond. Some say bentonite or drilling mud, others say lay hay/straw and cow [censored] and cover it with dirt and it will seal. Just read about soilfloc too. To be honest about this, i have a very small budget for this project.

Any odead or insight on this would be wonderful. Oh i for got to mention catfish and pan fish would be the spices i would like

Generally speaking, small budgets are generally insufficient for pond issues revolving retention. (I have property and have written a few checks for mine, learned from research and experience.) Rather than doing hail Marys and wasting $, save until you can do it right, and you will have a better chance of success.

If it were me, I would look for clay on, around, and/or under the site. It would be far more effective to line the pond with that than with a liner or bentonite.

If you can't find suitable clay, then you may want to re-evaluate your plans. Most any other option is going to be expensive.

Take a look at that website. You should be able to get a good idea what you are working with.

http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm