I’ll soon be 65 and have fished for about 58 of those years, so like the OP I know a thing or two about fishing, or at least I tell myself that I do. Personally I was late to the ‘braid game’, believing that if it ain’t broke, why mess with it?
I started experimenting with braid when I moved to Florida three years go, and I’ll just say it has its place, no more no less. What I have found to be true in my case is that braid brings with it its own complications. Learning complicated knots, joining braid to mono or flouro leaders, all are things I never had to deal with as a strictly monofilament line fisherman.
Fortunately for me, 95% of my fishing is bass fishing and I have little need for braid at this time. For me, that works.