GBL - You can't possibly drive from the Bridge of the Gods to Hoodsport, WA via SR 14. Bridge of the Gods in in the Columbia Gorge and Hoodsport is on Hood Canal.

But you can drive from the Bridge of the God's to Hood River, OR. Maybe that's what you meant. If so, those were tribal gill nets. That is the Zone 6 fishery, which is Tribal. Tribal and recreational anglers split the incidental take of ESA fish (each get about 1% incidental take). The tribes don't release native fish. They keep them for their own use, and sell them if they catch enough. Since they're catching spring Chinook, it's likely for the use of the Tribes. I don't think they've gotten enough for commercial sales.

The recreational anglers release native (unmarked) fish as a way to increase their harvest of hatchery fish. It's called a mark-selective fishery (MSF). Without it, recreational anglers would not be allowed to harvest as many as they do.