braid help

[badfish88]

for as long as i can remember, my father and i have always used mono.....for everthing. (mind u this is ten years ago) i asked him y he does not use braid and he said it just plain sux. the knots dont hold, there is no stretch so you ripp hooks easier, it eats up the reel spools and the rod guides. to add to this. a few years back i spooled up a rod and reel with spiderwire, It was on a small bass rod when i first started to salt water fish, and sure enough, the wind knots were horrible, the knots pulled. and it eventualy i noticed a groove being worn into my rod tip. it wasnt the best pole. but wasnt a POS either. Has braid changed since then? seems like id be wbetter off fo my deep water stuff. and trolling for bass. But i dont wanna sacrifice tackle for it. Ive also heard it does not go bad, or dry out. so i wouldnt need to respool every year. looking for any input