a tempura batter would be the best it is light and crispy plus has a nice flavor, just buy a packet of tempura flour in the shops and follow the steps on the box.
Although beer batter is the best for light and crispy,its because the alcohol in beer evaporates during cooking faster than water leaving a crispier batter.
another important thing for a crisp batter is the temperature of your oil,usually 170 – 180 is good.

Have you tried different flours? I’ve found using cornflour or rice flour adds crispiness

Make it up with self raising flour and cold soda water. Guaranteed crispy batter

I love a crispy batter-it is such a delight to bite into crisp batter. Hope you have had success with your batter?

Tempura batter is very crispy if you’d not thought along those lines. Great for vegetables & seafoods.

I dip them in flour, egg (beaten), then fresh bread crumbs. Fry in shallow oil and nom nom nom.

beer batter is good. look on taste.com

If you don’t want to use beer, you can use soda water instead. And yes, it works better cold.

I’ve never had much luck with batter but find that dipping the fish in egg and then cornflake breadcrumbs, refrigerating for at least 30 mins and then frying works well and tastes great.

Following this – I’ve never tried making my own battered fish and/ or chips but would like to try.

Use cornflour instead of flour and add beer instead of water…pinch salt as well!

im going to try the ice water next time I make a batter thanks

It is important to have the oil at the right temperature so that the fish immediately starts to go crispy when placed in the oil.

I use flour, egg and ice water for batter. This is what i use for tempura.

i might try to batter something. i have not done this yet lol

for deep frying fish I like to use plain flour, a bit of salt and pepper, egg and cold soda water. Dip the fish in the batter and into the hot oil.

Leave out the egg and milk and add about a cup of ice cold water or soda water if you want the texture you would get from a beer batter.

Could your batter be just a bit too thick or you overbeating it Or the oil you are cooking it in either too hot or not hot enough and for a fraction too long? If you are using a basic batter with just a tiny pinch or sprinkle of salt it should be OK. Some Fish & Chip shops re-use the same oil for a few days but the oil they use may not be as good diet wise as you use. I find whatever I do my batter doesn’t always come exactly the same.

Perhaps you could try frying the batter in coconut oil. Steak is so much nicer when browned and cooked in a little bit of coconut oil in a pan! It browns beautifully and does not burn. It is the only oil that does not smoke or get altered by heat.

I have found that the only batter I can get to go crispy is beer batter. However in staying that I also think that having the oil at just the right temp also helps