If you place the fish in the basket then lower it in the oil ...that can do it with some batters. It's a lot more of a pain to place the fish in the oil with the basket down...but that's what I do most of the time to prevent that.

Sometimes if you leave the basket out for a while that can cause it. Seems like some batters work okay as long as you bring up the basket then place your fish and drop it. I always use some tongs to free any pieces stuck the the basket after its been frying about a minute.

When I am not frying much I just use a chicken fryer pan and no basket...saves on oil and no basket to clean. I just put it in and out with tongs. I also like to do that when I have pieces of unequal thickness or size. I take out the thinner ones sooner.