We let the pond dry out for weeks, and today we're testing the limits of our equipment. The ultimate vision is to take this small backyard pond and turn it into a deep, clear sunfish and bass paradise—complete with an engineered hard clay bottom, strategic underwater structure, and a rock-lined riparian edge. To make this habitat work, we need to get down deeper. But when you step out onto the dry bed, the ground is completely deceiving: it looks like hard, cracked clay on top, but right in the middle it’s pure, slippery goop-like pudding. The big question today: Can the John Deere 1025R sub-compact tractor actually dig out a pond, or did we just make a massive mistake and bury the tractor in the mud? Drop a comment below: Would you trust a sub-compact tractor for a job like this, or would you bring in a full-size excavator? Hit SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications to follow the full pond restoration build as we shape the basin, seal the bottom, and build out this backyard fishery! ...