Indian Tom Lake is one of California's State Public Hunting Areas for duck and geese.

The lake is near California's border with Oregon, and the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge at the junction of Highway 161 and the Dorris-Brownell Road.

The lake is shallow and alkaline due to its high salt content and is home to the brine shrimp.

Indian Tom Lake is a put-and-take fishery for Lahontan cutthroat trout stocked by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Because Indian Tom Lake is shallow, it is vulnerable to weed growth in the warmer summer temperatures, making it too late in the fishing season for good catches.