Well how deep Is your ROW or are you just using that term loosely? There are states that as long as you are In the water you can move up and down stream at your pleasure.

What we use to do was to make one blatant set. It stuck out like a sore thumb. We had a wedge shoved under the pan so It wouldn't go off.
I believe that after a thief checked a empty trap for awhile he just gave up checking.

But of coarse If the guy Is a trap thief that won't work to good. But most thieves are In It for the fur they are to lazy to actually set and tend traps.

similar to muskrats approach OUAT i uysed to gather up junk no 1 shorts, etc junk worn out traps and use for "bait".....set up big tile spaded pocket w/ junk trap, then suttle fingerhole pockets with grass draped in front to hide everything......worked real well SE corner this county, down to KS line in hillbilly clan country where family trees had not much fork to them.....kinda like giving a pet coon a shiney object to leave the other stuff alone....worked about the same on the single toothers