Hi joens
Lakes over here ar pretty sad right now.
I am at Heron Reservoir every other weekend all summer form Memorial to Labor day.
It has Kokanee as well as some other species of salmonids. Unfortunately, it is very low. I did some diving for our sail club over Labor Day Weekend. Vis was a whopping couldn't read the SPG with it and the light against the mask. But that was at the inlet and after a rain. I'm gooing to try to get there right after the ice thaws & before runoff. We did some sailing down by the dam, and looked for the surface like it was lot better. Pretty deep at that end of the lake. Our start line pin is in the channel in the middle of the lake and is in +100 ft of water.
Another place that I've heard may be worth checking out is Navajo Res near Farmington. Don't know much about the lake. The tailwater below the damn has one of the best Rainbow trout sections in the country. but spearfishing would be completely out of the question. I've thought about "drifting" it with a camera though. There are some really deep holes, and I've been told of a couple particular ledges that holds some big browns. Be an intersting excursion.
Lastly, the most likely place is, as crazyc mentioned, Elephant Butte. I sail there spring and fall. Was there 2 weeks ago, and maybe there tomorrow night to race Saturday.
It's waaaayyyy down. Since this drought started about 2-3 years ago, the clarity has gone in the dumper. 3 years ago, close to shore you could see fish (carp!) at the bottom in 12-15 ft of water at the marinas. Now you can't see the end of your arm.
There's been an issue with farm waste/runoff from above, and the lake hasn't had enough water turnover to flush it out. Consequently, it has a very nasty algae problem. Don't know if you've seen it, but it's that flourescent day-glo stuff. The state says it's OK, but I know people whose dog got sick from swimming in it. I won't even stick my hand in it if I don't have to. Not a good situation.
I haven't been there, but I had heard that Ute is about the clearest reservoir in the state. Sandy bottom, and mostly fed through sandy topography from what I understand. So you're probably getting about as good as we have there for now.
Haven't been there in years, and don't know if it's too far, but there's a lake in western Nebraska called McConaughy. I've seen vis in some of the coves on the north side of the lake up to 30-40 feet., but it's got water level problems right now, too. Trout, white/striper cross, & catfish there.
I'll have to check the rules about spearfishing for Kokanee here in NM. It's snagging season for them right now I think.
You still going to try to make it to that DIR-F class in April? I can't make a commitment to it righ now. May be able to make it, but it'll be a last minute decision if so.