Whether you agree with the law or not, if you fish tournaments you better be compliant.

I was looking at some 2014 and newer skeeter FX models, they don't have a hole in front at all.

If you get Polygraphed it would sure be bad to be DQ'd for not following reg's whether you agreed with them or not!

probably be someone who will file a protest on this

If you are on the water, you better be compliant.Neither the LEO that writes the ticket or the judge you are going to be standing in front of could care less if you don't agree with the law.
Everyone should take a deep breath and read the COLREGS. It should be required reading for anyone who owns a boat, not just guys with a Captain's license and they apply to inland waters, not just coastal.. The laws are there to keep everyone safe by helping you determine navigation hazards, direction of traffic and ROW. You can bet that if you are involved in a collision the investigators are going to look at that and if, God forbid, anyone is injured or killed, it's not going to be a very good day if they determine your lighting was illegal or even just a distraction.

That being said... If you have the factory lighting on your boat, and you are involved in an incident and lighting becomes an issue, you have a reasonable defense, as you can not be held responsible for the design, quality, or installation of the components on your boat if everything is as it delivered from the builder. If you have add ons, the last sentence in the above paragraph could be a factor.

Many boaters have been at it a long time and have conditioned them selves to interpret a single whit, red, or green light, so in some cases, more is not always better.

I thought about adding the strips on my boat until I rode in my buddy's boat that had them.
Maybe it's just his set-up but they killed my night vision.

The problems with using the front pole light are numerous. The Incandescent bulbs take a beating when running and often go out, the trolling motor can fully or partially BLOCK the view of this light (and that is a violation of the law), the trolling when raised or lower can hit this light and break it. And lastly the contact pins sit down in a hole and will corrode making the light work sometimes but not others. LED Strips do NONE of the above. But I will say this, the pole lights have designed "Angle of Visibility" requirement that I see a lot of LED lights do not meet.

Place your pole light in the socket and turn it on. Slowly walk from the left side around to the right side and watch the light as you walk. You will be at about a 45 deg. angle in front of the boat before you start to see the Green light. The same angle will on the right side will allow you to no longer see the red light. This is what the CG says allows an approaching vessel to know the "Angle of Approach". If I see only red and it doesn't change I know the vessel is on a course to pass to my left. The reverse is true for the Green- approaching vessel will pass on my right. If the light color changes (either way) this means the approaching vessel is on a crossing path and requires a heightened awareness. If I can see both lights continually the on-going vessel is on a direct intercept course. Again a heightened awareness.

I see many bass boats with the LED strips touching or side by side on the front of the boat and this does not meet the CG requirement

I mounted a Attwood LED 2-Mile Deck Mount Navigation Bow Light (coast guard approved) upside down to the bottom of my trolling motor mount. Took it apart and reversed the led's so when i flipped it upside down the red and green were on the proper side.

huh? Why? What do you do when the TM is up? Or down? Or whatever other position makes the nav lights incorrect?

As for above....I have a boat with a 10" pole light for the front. There is no downside to it. It doesn't interfere with the use of a BIG trolling motor mount, much less the old Edge series. It has a 10 year old bulb that takes a beating and works every time. The socket has a rubber cover over it for keeping out most moisture, the rest doesn't seem to bother it at all for almost 18 years now.

I think what you think are pitfalls...really isn't. It sounds like a good argument, but it isn't. It is a solid, safe design. And the 90% of daylight fishing vs my 10% predawn I don't have it in my way. So really a non issue.

This right here hit it on the head. Has nothing to do with money it has to do with other boaters or atleast the few that know what the lights mean and why they are there can tell what direction you are actually going. This rule has always been around way before any of these LED strips were ever thought of. Now with that being said LED lights are night illegal just if they are not USCG approved.

You do know Steez that even when on the TM you have to have on all your Nav lights.

You are exactly right sir but unfortunately just about all boaters have no idea of these rules and doing what I do out here at work makes my job extremely difficult.

My buddy and I received a warning for his led's over Memorial Day weekend, on an Oklahoma lake.

I don't have the report now but there is one from the coast guard. You are not responsible for what the boat manufacturer installs as far as the lights being approved. They are aware of some manufacturers not installing approved lighting and they fine some of them sometimes.