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.

After you clean them, just shake them dry, salt and pepper each side and then roll em in a mix of 80% cornmeal and 20% flour.

I haven't fried fish in forever. I soak the fish in salted water, mix up 50/50 of white and yellow cornmeal with some flour added. Drop the fish inside a bag with the mixture and shake.

I use the 3-2-1 method. 3 cups of yellow corn meal, 2 cups of white corn meal and 1 cup of flour but i will cut that in half if only cooking 3 or 4 pounds of fillets. Just like David said shake the fillets dry and put the salt and pepper directly on the meat. I cook my fish in canola oil at 325-350 degrees.

I’m a fan of egg wash with my fried fish. I would try to find some type of finer ground cornmeal if I did not want it to be as crispy.

Try buttermilk and egg. Six eggs to one quart of buttermilk is the ratio.

for less crunch , do not use milk or egg, just roll the wet fillets in the corn meal mix.

Mo

My wife rubs mustard on catfish, then rolls it in cornmeal seasoned with salt, pepper, Tony’s or adobo. Really good, but I love mustard on eggs. So to each their own.

I had so much Fried Catfish growing up, after my dad retired he and his best friend went drift fishing for catfish at least a couple of times a week and we always had a freezer full of catfish fillets. I finally just got tired of it. Then I had a buddy of mine show me how he cooked his catfish. Take some aluminum foil and make a boat shape with it. Put in a couple of fillets and put it on a grill or like me put it in the smoker with the top of the aluminum foil still open so the smoke can get to it. In with the catfish put a stick of butter, some Zataran's Garlic and Herb Seasoning and dash in some Louisianna Hot Sauce. Let it cook as the butter melts with these ingredients. I use a combination of Pecan wood from my Pecan trees and some Mesquite wood chips for the smoke.
I have been doing this now and when I make it along with some fried catfish more of my family wants the fish done this way than the fried.

mustard
tony chacheries
corn meal
BAM

I do just like Mo does as far as no dipping before the corn meal. While they're still wet, I salt and pepper. If you want more spices, just sprinkle them on the filets while still wet.

For the cornmeal I like the Louisiana plain - no spice, in the yellow and orange bag. It's really corn flour instead of cormeal but I think it sticks better.
If you want a little thicker crust, add some flour and leave them in the cornmeal a little bit longer.

Everyone has their own way they like to fry fish - this is just how i like mine.

I like to use peanut oil but it's sorta pricey now. I shoot for 360 but it's more forgiving on over temp though before it smokes.
Nothing worse than burnt vegatable oil to ruin a bunch of fried fish.

And keep the filets away from flour!

I use yellow cornmeal, salt and pepper, nothing else. I cut up the fish the night before and soak the pieces in brine in the fridge. Take them out of the brine when I'm ready to fry. put enough for a batch in a colander to drain off water and then I use a Cajun fish breader to coat the fish with the cornmeal Then in 375º peanut or sunflower oil. Never had a complaint.