I cannot confirm nor deny your allegations, but as far as I know, the Quinaults have always netted the lower river hard. I believe that there is some 35 to 40 miles of river below the lake and they oft times will net that 5 days a week. So, figure out the escapement with that sort of fishery going on.
It is a sad thing that perhaps the best steelhead river in the state, for native fish, is over fished by the natives, but there are still a lot of nice fish in that river and I still predict that the next state record winter run will come from there. Most likely, it will be caught on the lower river with an Indian guide, but still....there are a lot of fish and a lot of nice fish in there. I have to think that most will spawn in the upper river, so odds have it that fish make it there. I know you are talking Summer Runs, but I would have to think that the comparisons are similar.
Also, that fight against Native fisheries was lost years ago and probably will never be fixed. It is there life style and nobody will take that from them. The Quinaults stock that river and or Cook Creek very heavily. I would like to see them say that they will fish those plants hard, but then go to like 1 day a week or even 2 about the middle of February. Then again, I am uneducated on this, and am not sure if I speak fact or not, lol.