I was all for this guy. Thought that there was a lot of jealousy happening, and thought that if his witnesses said it wasn't snagged, then it wasn't. Case closed. I had decided.
Then, as time went on, and a few details emerged, I changed my tune. Of course, by then, I didn't care much.
But, why let him keep it if is was foul-hooked? Or, if they let him keep it, then it must have been legit, so why no record? I concur, that the truth may never be fully known. I also agree that this is not a good look for him. He's starting to look crazy.
but I do feel for the guy. Imagine, if it were you, and you were innocent, and were becoming a laughing stock.
Also, if the fish had a hole or two in it's hide, that should be no surprise, given that a lot of people said a lot of fish were being snagged. Even if nobody else succeeded in landing that particular fish, it's no stretch of the imagination that it had been hooked a time or two.