i have never used a gasket on the pans.
make sure the oil pan rails are flat especialy around the bolt holes.
clean, clean and clean it again. the pan and the mounting surfaces
you can use the old school trick of getting a center punch and making a bunch of small dimples in the block all along where the pan mates to it.
use a good sealer, ford makes a nice rtv that you shoot from a caluk gun, i like it. permatex makes some nice stuff also

as for the drain back, it is a non issue. the baffles actually help keep the pick up tube covered under spirited driving like you were thinking