Palmetto Kingfish Tour

Entry & Payout

Simple buy-in. Fair competition. Three levels of entry with regular season payouts and PKT Championship payouts.

PKT Entry Fee

$500 Open Division

Level I: $500.00 one-time entry

Mandatory for all PKT teams.

$1,500 High Roller Division

Level II: $1,500.00 entry

Optional division-only entry.

$3,000 Mack Daddy Division

Level III: $3,000.00 entry

Optional division-only entry.

Basic Entry Allocation

  • 50% paid during the regular season
  • 50% held and paid in the Championship
  • PKT Championship TWTs: $1,500 divisional / $1,500 overall

Division Purse Based on 50 Boats

Open

$25,000

High Roller

$75,000

Mack Daddy

$150,000

Regular Season Schedule / Fishing Days

  • June 13: Low Country Open
  • July 11: James Island Yacht Club KMT Tournament
  • July 23: Hooked On Miracles
  • August 8: PKT Championship — Carolina Kingfish Classic

Qualification for PKT Championship

Teams must weigh one King Mackerel during the season to qualify. That’s it.

Best 2 out of 3 finishes count for the season-long leaderboard that will recognize Team of the Year. Merchandise prizes will be awarded to Team of the Year.

Payouts Per Regular Season Event

Based on approximately 50 boats.

$500 Division

Each Event:

~$4,100 per event

  1. $2,000
  2. $1,100
  3. $1,000
$1,500 Division

Each Event:

~$12,500 per event (split 60/30/10)

  1. $7,500
  2. $3,750
  3. $1,250
$3,000 Division

Each Event:

~$25,000 per event (split 60/30/10)

  1. $15,000
  2. $7,500
  3. $2,500

PKT Championship Payouts

Carolina Kingfish Classic

$500 Open Championship

Guaranteed Purse:

$12,500 based on 50 boats

Payout Top 5:

50/20/15/10/5

$1,500 High Roller Championship

Purse:

~$37,500 based on 50 boats

Payout Top 5:

50/20/15/10/5

$3,000 Mack Daddy Championship

Purse:

~$75,000 based on 50 boats

Payout Top 5:

50/20/15/10/5

Optional Championship Calcuttas

Bet on your team! $1,500 Overall x 50 boats could be an extra $75,000.

Series Information

The PALMETTO KINGFISH TOUR provides an elite king mackerel tournament series where the best of the best compete to prove who's #1 in the Low Country. With a base entry of $500 and two optional levels, this is the most competitive tour in South Carolina, paying back 100% of entry fees. The PKT will drive participation in the qualifying events, creating positive socioeconomic impact for local community businesses and organizations.

View the 2026 Tour Schedule PKT & Shootout Rules 2026 Payouts & Prizes