Items or Weapons Disappeared After Loading
First: Stop Saving Immediately
Every additional save can overwrite the last state that still contained your gear. Close the game normally (Main Menu → Quit), then copy the entireLocalLow/DazedGames/HowToFishfolder somewhere safe before trying any workaround. This one habit separates recoverable losses from permanent ones.
Identify Your Symptom
Weapons, radar, or boat gone but the save slot looks normal. Compare against your last backup; the loss is usually a write during a crash window.
The slot itself regressed. Do not start a new game on top of it — restore a backup of the whole folder instead.
Note whether it was solo or co-op. Co-op host migrations are a distinct report category — the host's save usually wins.
Check the active objective before assuming loss — some hand-ins consume the item by design. If consumed by a bug, re-fight the boss for a fresh drop.
The Recovery Order
- Exit without loading and saving again.
- Back up the save folder (see the save bug guide for paths).
- Check whether the item is a quest hand-in — the objective text tells you if it was consumed on purpose.
- Restore the most recent backup from before the loss, and test on the copy first.
- Only re-earn what is unrecoverable: boss re-fight routes are in each boss guide.
Reduce Repeat Losses
Manual save + quit before milestones (boss kills, hand-ins, big purchases). In co-op, let the host be the save authority. After any crash, resist the urge to “quickly check” your gear — back up first. And keep two rotating backups instead of one, so a silent corruption never costs you everything.
Lost Items FAQ
Why did my weapons disappear in How to Fish?
Most reports involve a crash, death, or co-op disconnect followed by a reload — the save written in that window can miss equipment state. It is a known issue family; Patch 1.0.9 reduced (not eliminated) occurrences.
Can I get lost items back?
Sometimes. If the loss happened this session, immediately close the game normally and restore the last backup of the save folder. If you already saved over it, the items are gone — prevention (manual save before milestones) is the reliable strategy.
Are quest drops like the Giant Piranha Skeleton safe?
Quest items can vanish with the same bug. Never hand in, sell, or discard a boss trophy or unusual drop — check your active objective first. If it is gone, our boss guides list the re-fight route for each summon item.