All the above suggestions are right on target. However, everyone probably assumed that you have a way to determine the oil temperature. A candy thermometer works fine but must be kept in the pot while cooking. Important not to put the second, third, etc. batches of fish in until the oil temperature has reached the 350 to 390 degree level after the preceding batch has been taken out. Also placing them in a paper sack with layers of paper towels also helps keep them crisp. The paper sack keeps them warm but also allows them to breathe and not get soggy.

Here is a trick my Grandad used when frying catfish and it worked great he was a fish cookin dude....Use a propane cooker and drop a stick match in the oil, when the match lites, the oil is ready, then he would drop only a few fillets at a time....Man I miss his catfish....

Something passed down to me from Dad and Pa-Paw. Take 2 paper grocery sacks (one inside the other) and line the bottom of them with lots of paper towels. As each batch comes out of the fryer, toss them in the sack, roll/fold the tops down snug and tuck the sack under the fryer near the flame. As long as they are near the flame, they'll stay crispy until it's time to eat.

We make out own breading:

3 cups of yellow corn meal to every cup of flour. Aprox. 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper to your taste.

Use Lousian Fish Fry mix. Great stuff and have tried about everything. i drop just a pinch of the mix into grease and when it sizzles as you drop it in it is ready. Make sure when you put fish in it starts a boiling effect that is jus the water in the fish. Put mix in a zip lock baggie just some of it then the fish then a little more mix. Shake it good don't put real wet fish in or mix will get soggy on you. Put a few maybe 6 to 10 small strips in and let it cook you have to regulate the fire up and down to keep it right. Turn the fire down and after you drop first batch in just enough to keep it hot. Slower you can cook it cripier it is and golden brown That is the way i do it.

it is the best...............hands down

tried Bobby's last night and it was GREAT

I use Zatarians souther crispy fish coating,heat lard to 350 deg,and fry fish untill golden brown,works for me crispy outside and moist inside.The lard gives it the flavor that your grandmas used to have.You can buy lard in buckets in most grocery stores

real healthy I bet

Glad you liked it.

My wife is from Baltimore, and this summer I fried up some catfish for her for the first time, and surprisingly she flipped over em and the next day were on the water to get more.
I dont do strips I do whole nice channel cat fillets that fit in a cast iron pan. I use veg oil about a half inch in the pan. I sprinkle Tony Cacheres on the fillets, then dip them in cornmeal and flour mix of 50/50, then a egg milk mixture, then back in the cornmeal and flour. Then when the specks of cornmeal sizzles, carefully lay it out on the pan.
When it turns toasty brown, carefully flip it to the other side and once it turns toasty brown take it out and set on paper towels after sprinkling just a lil more Tony Cacheres on it.
Seems like the egg and breading not only make it crispy but also keeps all the juiciness in the meat. I overcook everytime, and my two teen age boys will clean up any leftovers the next day.
I know it cant be near as crisp,..reheated. And then again they are teenage boys, lucky they havent chewed the fridge door off. Try it, no salt, no pepper just Tony Cacheres. I was impressed I impressed a Chesapeake Bay girl with fried Catfish.

When my kiddos were toddlers we lived on Caddo. Caught and cooked lots of catfish and bream. I fileted everything then cut the filets into fingers. Didn't want any bones in the portions the kids ate. Dipped in milk then dredged in cornmeal. I used a large cast iron skillet with about a half inch of oil. They came out tender and crispy every time.
Once I found a corn dog batter in an old Betty Crocker Cook Book that has since disappeared and battered and deep fried some fish. It provided a thick crispy coating. Never did find that recipe again.

Sunburn, try some Ball's General Purpose Cajun seasoning instead of Tony's. You can buy it online. When you do, you'll throw rocks at Tony's.

Lousiana Fish Fry
Peanut Oil
Cast Iron Pot
375 and keep it that way
Trade Catfish for Speckled Trout
Can't be beat

smaller pieces fry up crispier as well