How to Fish Game Save Disappeared: Safe Recovery Checks

Freeze the situation and make two copies

1. Quit How to Fish. If it is unresponsive, close it, then wait until Steam no longer marks it as running.
2. Open %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Dazed Games\How to Fish in File Explorer. The save directory inside is named Saves.
3. Copy the complete Saves directory to a dated backup outside the game data folder. Do not open and resave individual files.
4. If you have another computer that may hold older progress, keep it offline from the game until you have copied its Saves directory separately.
5. Make a second untouched copy before testing any later recovery suggestion.

Confirm the correct path and Windows identity

The Windows save path is C:\Users\<name>\AppData\LocalLow\Dazed Games\How to Fish\Saves. Replace <name> with the Windows account that was used during the missing session. AppData is hidden by default, and LocalLow is distinct from Local and Roaming.

Compare the current folder with any dated backup by folder presence, file names, sizes, and modified times. These clues can show that two versions differ, but they do not prove which file is valid. Do not combine files from separate copies or change extensions based on appearance alone.

Check Steam without forcing a conflict

Restart the Steam client and let it reconnect normally. Confirm that How to Fish is fully updated on every PC involved. A version mismatch can complicate diagnosis, so record the version before another launch. If Steam shows a cloud or sync conflict, read the displayed machine and time information rather than automatically selecting the newest timestamp.

A newer file may represent a fresh or reduced state, while an older one may contain the progress you want. Steam synchronization is not a substitute for a dated backup. If the client does not let you preserve both choices confidently, cancel where possible and ask official support before selecting either side.

Account for normal save timing

Since patch 1.0.6, a crash does not immediately write a save. The documented save points are manual Save, Main Menu, Quit, and an autosave about once per minute. If the game crashed soon after a catch, purchase, or movement, losing only that last interval may be consistent with the changed behavior.

The same patch added a check before loading a save. Patch 1.0.9 later said corruption was hopefully fixed, and patch 1.0.11 added another check plus automatic backups. That sequence shows continuing protection work rather than proof that every old save can be recovered. Do not guess which file is a backup or overwrite the current data without an official instruction.

Use low-risk repair steps in order

1. After backups exist, restart Windows and Steam to clear a stuck client state.
2. Verify integrity of How to Fish through Steam Properties. This checks installed game files; it does not repair or recreate missing personal progress.
3. Launch once on the computer and Windows account that most recently had the correct progress. Avoid switching among multiple machines during this test.
4. If the correct save appears, use the in-game Save action, exit through Main Menu or Quit, and make a fresh dated backup after the game closes.
5. If it remains absent, stop repeated tests and prepare an evidence bundle for the developer.

Escalate with evidence, not guesses

Use the official Steam discussion hub or the developer support route linked there. A precise timeline helps maintainers distinguish synchronization, validation, and crash cases. Keep original backups untouched while waiting for instructions.

• Game version and the approximate time of the last known good session.
• Whether the previous session ended through Save, Main Menu, Quit, a crash, or a forced close.
• The Windows account and exact LocalLow path checked.
• Whether Steam displayed a sync conflict and which computers were recently used.
• A list of file names, sizes, and modified times from the backed-up folders, without publicly uploading personal data.
• Any reproducible loading message or behavior.

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