IT has to be my stock pump

Don, if you are absolutely sure it's not crap getting in the needle and seat then a regulator would be the answer.

One other possibility would be to put a return for the fuel using that filter with the return tube built into it.
This way all the pressure would be bled off when the car shut down.

If I was thinking to put a return on it anyway, it would also solve that problem.
If I had no intention of putting a return on it, then the regulator would be the better choice.