Okay, I remember as a kid my grandparents would make the best catfish that was super light and not crazy crispy. Not a big fan of the stuff at the stores that gets so crunchy.
I know they always did a cornmeal style, but I can't seem to get it right even with just using cornmeal and not the BPS or Louisiana packages. I've tried to dip it in egg was then in the cornmeal and it's still too crunchy. I've tried just lightly in cornmeal without the egg wash, and it wasn't like theirs.

I always try and stay around 360-370 degrees and I'm not burning it, so I wanted to see y'all's thoughts.

I love it crispy and crunchy, so I`m no help. I`ve never dipped any fish in egg though.

Tried Milk too before the cornmeal based on other recipes, but too crispy.

Try putting the fried pieces in a paper bag (the old school brown grocery store kind) and roll the top closed as they come out of the fryer. They’ll stay semi crispy but steam a bit in the bag. Put a layer of paper towels in the bottom to catch the access oil. Can do the same with a small ice chest or a big pot with a lid if you don’t have any of the brown paper bags.

This is what I use, I know you stated that you didn’t care for store bought stuff , however this stuff is pretty good.

Hard to beat Louisiana fish fry. Regular yellow corn meal with a lil salt works just as well. I strip up all fillets and probably cook my fisha lil longer after they float. I dump fish in a paper sack lined with paper towels. Pieces of fish should be the same size when cooking a batch.

I bet if you cook it in the oven or air fryer the filets would not be as crunchy. Crunchy is why I fry something.

That Louisiana fish is more fine than just cornmeal. More flour like IMO so it goes on thin. Don't dip the fillet in anything. Pat the wet fillets with a towel. Shake it in a Ziplock of Louisiana fish fry, then drop in fryer. I use the Seasoned Louisiana fish fry, but I season it more by adding lots of black pepper, lowrys, and sometimes a little cayenne pepper and mix it all up in a Ziplock bag. Since the fish fry is so thin on the fillets, it is not overly crispy. If anyone is having the opposite problem, I have added some coarse cornmeal to the Louisiana fish fry before and it makes it crispier.

Sniper nailed it. You must take the filets out and dry them well with a towel. Then get a gallon zip lock with more batter than fish. If you skimp on the batter; it will ball up on the fish. The batter is looking for the water. Shake and go right to fryer. Look at the cornmeal….it should say fine on label, but most will work. Watch temp with thermometer. If you want the opposite (crunchy) just let the meat be a little wet, the batter will stick all over.

Dry the fish, season the fish with tonys or s & p, shake the fish in the fish fry, into hot oil, when done put it on a drying rack with paper towel underneath to catch leftover oil, don’t put the fish on paper towel

And use livescope if you fish.

If you have an HEB near your try this: https://www.heb.com/product-detail/hill-country-fare-seasoned-fish-fry/2847504

It isn't gritty and doesn't come out super crunchy on catfish.

Zatarans crispy southern with lemon is about my favorite. It’s finer ground cornmeal/flour if you don’t fry it to long it is t super crunchy.

[img]https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2024/09/full-67488-430523-img_0566.png[/img

https://stxmilling.com/gulf-coast-fish-fry-seasoned

You can thank me later

In my opinion, the best way to fry seafood is 1/2 bisquick 1/2 fish fry of your choice. Mix them together and proceed as usual. Got this from my Dad and have been doing it for decades. It's delicious

I use MASA. Crust comes out light and flakey. No egg or Milk dip...just shake fish in Masa and fry. Make sure oil is hot before you start (300-350).

Rinse trim and dry the filets. I try to trim where each individual piece is about the same thickness.
Coat in mustard.
I use Andy’s Cajun and mix with plain panko…..nothing else.
Omit the panko since you don’t like it too crispy. Immediately when a piece floats pull it out. Don’t try to wait for every piece to float and pull the whole basket. Use a Little Dipper to get it out by the piece.
I promise you will not have a better fry.

https://www.andysseasoning.com/product/andys-cajun-fish-breading/

Try putting a small amount of cornstarch, flour, and a teaspoon or so of sugar in the cornmeal. The flour
helps to bind it to the food, The cornstarch and sugar help to make it crispy. You wont really notice the sugar, but you can
offset this with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Mix it all in a plastic bag, place you fish in it and coat. Let it rest a few minutes in the cornmeal before you fry it.
This works for fish, super crunchy squash or okra, almost any vegetable. Enjoy!

I soak my filets in the fridge in a bath of cold water and mustard. Use enough mustard to color the water so that it is not clear at all. Remove the fish after it has soaked a few hours, pat it dry and set it on a drying rack while your oil heats up to 350. Louisiana fry in a bag, shake it up, drop it in your oil and let it go until it is the color you want it to be. To me the key to it being crispy is removing it to a drying rack after cooking and let it cool a minute or so without it being in contact with anything, even other filets. You want some of the heat to escape freely so that it doesn't steam up and get soggy.

I use the Louisiana fish fry to bread Okra

Good info, thanks