Well for starters, you mentioned an unmarked float, which while not all that likely, could have caused DFO enforcement to pull them as you need your name on them at a minimum and the letters have to be a minimum size etc. – check the Regs. Rarely an RCMP marine unit may pull them if they consider them a hazard to navigation, but I would doubt that would happen at that location. You could make some calls. In either event, they could eventually end up on the Govt. auction site, perhaps mixed into a bigger lot of crab traps etc. so you could watch for them.
https://www.bcauction.ca/open.dll/welcome
If it was a large float, someone may have mistaken it for a lost Halibut anchoring system but once pulled may have decided to keep them and unfortunately there is a fair bit of theft. If the float was large it could have pulled the traps off the bottom and drifted and in either scenario, without your name and phone number on the float, even an honest fisherman could not return them to you, unless they see your post here and are able to contact you.
Dave is correct, it is not like Sannich Inlet out there. Big currents, winds and waves and use of a comparatively short trap line relative to depth can cause even large floats to be pulled under water by the currant, but if the traps were well anchored they may pop back up and be visible again at the next low slack tide so you may want to check again. If the traps were not very well anchored they can sometimes be pulled off the bottom by wind, waves and current and just drift away and perhaps get anchored/caught up somewhere else. It is even possible they can be dragged into deeper water and the float be permanently under water. There was one of those in the Sooke area at one time (probably commercial) and salmon fishermen would lose gear on it
That is also a rather high traffic area and a boat or tug pulling a barge etc. could have caught on to them and dragged them off. I understand that happens a fair bit and a large floating kelp island can do the same thing.
One of my fishing buddies drop traps for spot prawns and coon shrimp off Victoria but they are very careful.
If I was doing it:
I would forget about overnight. Drop them and fish salmon in the general area and keep a eye on them. If you run up on a thief pulling your traps they will have a story. Something like “yea we caught your line on our leg and was just freeing it”.
Use a large float, long lead core rope with some extra clip on weights, heavy traps with added weight or perhaps even a small anchor (you may want a power pot puller if you don’t have one). Before deciding to drop the traps it would be a good idea to check the current and weather just like you would when deciding to anchor up for Halibut fishing to minimize the chances of drifting your traps or pulling the float underwater.
Good luck, I hope you get back your gear. Very frustrating and expensive to lose it, especially if brand new. Keep an eye on Craigs list and Used Victoria etc.
.
