Thorough use of 'if' statements or 'try/catch' blocks?

Give me some of your thoughts on which is a better coding practice/makes more efficient code/looks prettier/whatever: Increasing and improving your ability to use if statements to anticipate and catch potential problems? Or simply making good use of try/catch in general? Let's say this is for Java (if it matters). Edit: I'm presently transitioning myself away from some admittedly out-dated and constrained current coding practices, but I'm a little torn on the necessity of doing so on a few points (such as this). I'm simply asking for some perspectives on this. Not a debate.