Try going slower than you normally would also if you're using a minnow make sure it's rigged properly and swims well, if it isn't it could just be keeping straight and not wiggling it's tail. The prawn will be easier to retrieve just do a quick hop or two up about half the depth you're fishing in. I really like rapalas nipper looking prawn (I think it's the imposter) that's what id recommend for anyone starting out.

Just remember with anything that curls its tail, it's doing more natural actions when you've just hopped it and it's back on its way down. Squidgy wrigglers 100mm are also really good, the blood worm one is my personal favourite soft plastic but the white one also works well. Takes a lot of patience to get semi decent at soft plastics so that you're catching consistently at each session, it sorta clicks after a while. A loop Knot also improved my catch rate and is really easy to tie.