I don't fish with crawdads but have a few friends who do.

My understanding is that if you actively fish the crawdad with pole in hand and keeping your crawdad active working it slowly over the bottom and then cast out again, when you get bit the bass will get hooked in the jaw. But if you just put the pole in a holder with a loose drag, the bass has a chance to swallow everything and get hooked deep.

The only time I'll fish with bait is when i'm fishing for dinner :9