Have you tried nightcrawlers with no weight at all just hook and worm?
Just hooking through oh an inch or so of the fat end let the rest
dangle.
I do this way all the time. The clarity is I can throw out 40' or so and
see the worm fall 8-10' under water is a tint greenish.
I shore fish and doing this way Ive caught bass only 2' from shore, at
times, they dont seem to care that Im there they want the worm.

Ray