I LOVE EATIN CRAPPIE AND CATFISH AND I LOVE THAT GRITTY TEXTURE THAT MOST GOOD RESTURAUNTS HAVE ON THERE FISH. I GET CLOSE BUT ALWAYS IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW WAY THAT MIGHT WORK BETTER. ANY IDEAS?

Uncle Buck's Hot & Spicy Fish Batter Mix is hard to beat

Use "Stone Ground Yellow Corn Meal" to get the crispy, crunchy texture. If you can find it try "Southern Star Fish Fry" it comes in a white bag. Here in Shreveport, Louisiana it is usually back by the meat department on a small rack or end isle rack at Krogers, Brookshires or Farmers Seafood Market. If you don't see it ask manager if they have it or if they can get it. If you like spicy cut it 50 percent Southern Star and 50 percent Yellow Corn meal. For Mild cut it 40 percent Southern Star and 60 percent Yellow corn meal. This is great on Sand bass/white bass, you don't have to filet off the red meat.

Jack

Zatrans original is about as good as it gets unless you mix your own, maybe add a little garlic powder and cayanne pepper to it.

X2 on Zatrans

We use zat's too, better than we make our own...

I like the Louisiana fish fry.

We have been using the zatarans crispy sothern with lemon for years and it is great. You can spice it up a little more with some tonys if you want, never had a complaint and even brought some non fish eaters into the light!

that gritty texture is the corn meal

we start with zatarans and then add pepper, cayenne, garlic powder

+1 on the Louisiana fish fry (in the blue bag)

I sprinkle the fillets liberally with Tony's then roll 'em in the LFF.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

One of the guys on here recommended McCormicks English fish and chips mix. I tried it and it's great.

Try making your own coating. Take yellow corn meal, mix salt & pepper with the meal to your taste with the meal, leave the fillets just a little damp so the meal will stick to them, then drop in hot grease. I like it spiced up when it's just the wife and I but for most folks, we put too much heat in it. This mix allows you to taste the fish instead of the cooked batter.

For extra crispiness you can also cut your cornmeal in half and go 50/50 with corn flour this will also help to hold it all together.

i do 2 parts corn meal, 1 part all purpose flour, lawrys(my wife cant have tony's its got msg in it and shes allergic) garlic salt, fresh cracked pepper, and sometimes a little lemon pepper seasoning, pat dry the filets, dredge, fry at 350.

oh man, i was so excited that my new idea for a recipe worked out great im gonna share it with yall!
put mustard, horse raddish, tobassco, and tonys mix all that up in a bowl, have you catfish nuggeted up in another bowl with a dark whiskey. once your ready to start frying throw your nuggets in the mustard mix than in you favorit batter than fry it up!! i was supprised how it turned out, my buddy that hates catfish ate plenty of it!
MMM i hope yall like it!