whats your situation man what are you targeting? pike im geussing? what lures you throw is more relevant to the line you use than the fish.

Braid will slip on a spool if you don't use backing (or tape, or something else). I've seen it happen to others no less than 3 times. The whole spool of line just spins around on your spool without the drag moving at all. Waste of a trip and the cost of a spool of line. Don't go without it! Ever! Some reels now have a rubber ring on the spool to help braid users, these are usually advertised as "braid-ready".

So without the backing would that give you the impression that your drag isn't working properly?

Yep, mono backing or medical wrap that won't leave a sticky residue on your spool will fix the slippage problem.  I like the mono backing myself as the wrap just decreases your line capacity a little (medical wrap is thicker than regular tape usually).  

Mono of an equal diameter is about the best bet.  Granted some reels come "braid ready" with the groves in the spool and I know the Pfluger Supreme XT comes with rubber vertical lines 3-4 places on the spool, but I myself don't see a need to go buy 150-200yrds of braid and put it all on the spool.  Mainly because you rarely cast more then 20-30yrds at MAX and are fishing in waters that are anywhere from 1'-50' of water max unless in Erie then up to 80-100 which only really equates to 30-35yrds of braid max.  I don't know too many fish that will run you 50-60yrds but that's what the mono is for also.  I have probably 60-100yrds of 50# Cajun Braid on my one catfish rig and never even came close to the mono.  If you are fishing for smallies, pike, largemouth then i'd tie on a flouro leader of roughly equal diameter, or even a fine wire for toothy critters.
 
Also, you don't have to go all out $$$ wise for braid either I bought Cajun Braid at Cabelas for like $5 and LOVE it have 0 issues it's pretty slick so my slip rigs run free.  I'm not one to be picky and cry about color (yes it will fade, no it doesn't matter that it does it's more of an aesthetic factor IMO and a large # of anglers probably feel the same way.)  The biggest thing is most braid now a days is all roughly the same aside from the specialties like Spiderwire Flourobraid (I think that's the name)  and Power Pro Slick 8.  But, as a general rule the break strength printed on the package of most braids is fairly misleading seeing as most break anywhere from 8-10 even 15# more than their "rated" strength. The only brand that I know of that is nearly dead on is the Daiwa Samurai line.  But, your usual suspects for braid that a generally large audience uses would be Original Power Pro, Suffix 832, and Fireline.

I have braid (Spiderwire, green, 3lb) on all my rods. With a mono back, Luv the stuff. No issues catching anything really. Mainly Steel and pellets, heck even Gils. I like it simply because of the casting, no memory, and I can bring in bigger fish quicker without worrying that its gonna break. Just my opinion.

I use Berkley Fireline (smoke color) with a flourocarbon leader all of the time. I would never go back to normal mono, the braid is much stronger and has no memory.
 
Anyone like eating rainbow trout? cooking with trout