New member here and new pond as well. I live in a Subdivision that has a 10 acre pond and is stocked with Florida Strain Bass. Lots of home owners have taken 10-12 pounders out of it.
The pond stops about 100 ft from my property line and my neighbor has agreed to let me dig a canal through his property to connect my new pond to the big pond, which will allow the bass and other fish to fill my new pond. He's getting the dirt in return.

I have the feeder creek that feeds everything and am in the process of turning that part of the creek into a 2 acre pond.

My main question is should I dam up my new part and get the maximum surface area for my new pond or should I leave open the mouth of the new pond going into the new canal and the old pond?

My track hoe guy said he would dam it up and build a spill way to get the maximum surface area and depth. If I do this it will not affect the canal. He also said that my pond depth is only going to be as deep as the outlet drain on the big pond dam. Which would only give me about a 7ft deep pond max. Or about 12 feet if I dam it up

What would yall do?