Remove skin from the catfish, then slice the fillet across to a thickness of no more than 1/4 inch.
soak for 1 hour in buttermilk this washes away the muddy flavor from freshwater catfish and tilapia.
Rinse the fillets under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
In a pie place, lay fillets and pour milk over the top. In another pie plate, combine cornmeal, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Remove the fillets one at a time from the milk and roll in the cornmeal mixture to coat evenly; place on a large platter to dry leaving space between them. Let dry at least 5 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or cast-iron frying pan.
Add the coated catfish filets and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, sprinkling additional salt on the catfish after each turn.
Cook until golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork. Drain on paper towels.
After draining, place the fillets on another platter covered with paper towels; place in preheated oven to keep warm while frying the remaining fillets.
The fillets will remain hot and crisp for as long as 35 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges.
