Does anyone have a slick setup for rigging live bait (sand dabs) up for Lings? Do most people use weight, or just let the Dab go to the bottom on its own?

I like to rig small to medium live baits like pearch, sculpins, and 4-8" sanddabs on one single light-wire circle hook. Since it's all barbless in MA 5-13, live fish don't wiggle off the barbless circle and of course lings never throw them. Don't like a trailer hook to hinder the struggling (wiggling) of the bait. I rig this on a short (say 20-24") leader, and use a long light (say 30-36") dropper to an appropriate bank sinker via a tied loop on a slider.
Fish this with the rod in you hand and walk the weight along the bottom. When you feel the weight'n'shake of the ling, immedietly free spool the bait so the ling can swim off with it and get the circle deep. The bigger the bait, the longer you let the fish have it. Reel the line tight (no sweeping hookset) and their hooked everytime in the corner of the jaw.
Ling fishing in the sound is mostly a C/R thing for me, so I've found this rig the most effective with live bait. The ocean is where I get my groceries.

Drift fishing for Lings! All I need is a corkie and yarn. That sounds like a great setup, I'll be trying it on the 1st. Thank you very much.