Palmetto Kingfish Tour

Palmetto Kingfish Sweet 16 Shootout Rules

  1. Palmetto Sweet 16 Shootout Registration: $5,000.00 — Registration will open May 1st, 2026. The PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT will be open to all fishing teams. You do NOT have to be a member of the Palmetto Kingfish Tour to participate. This is a stand alone event. Teams register for the Palmetto Sweet 16 Shootout online. Payment may be made by credit card; MasterCard, Visa, and American Express accepted. A service charge will be added to ALL credit card transactions, or you can mail a check after completing registration. NO REFUNDS ON PAYMENTS — NO EXCEPTIONS. All team registrations must be approved by the PKT/Grander Custom Tackle tournament committee.
  2. Entry Forms: You must register and fill out entry forms for each affiliated qualifying event that you wish to fish: Low Country Open, Hooked on Miracles, JIYC KMT Tournament, Carolina Kingfish Classic. The PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT will abide by each individual qualifying tournament rules and boundaries.
  3. Boats: Boats may be changed during the season; however, you cannot change boats during an event.
  4. Eligible Species: King Mackerel (Scomberomorus Cavalla).
  5. Teams: Any team that wishes to compete in a match must be registered in the qualifying event under the same boat name as registered in the PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT and have either the registered captain or registered co-captain on board the boat during competition. If the registered Captain or Co-Captain is not on board, the fish will not qualify — No Exceptions.
  6. Team seeding 1-16: Teams will be drawn from a hat at the Captains Pick ‘Em Party. First team will be ranked 1 and the last team will be 16.
  7. Scoring System: For 2026, the kingfish weight will determine who wins the match. For example: 35.27 lbs vs. 33.25 lbs. The larger weight WINS. Single Elimination. If you WIN, your team advances. If you lose, you’re OUT.
  8. Series BRACKET System: The PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT is a 4 tournament series based on head-to-head matches. If you win, you advance to the next tournament. A 1 kingfish minimum must be weighed to count.
  9. Tackle: All fish must be caught on rod and reel.
  10. Sponsors, tournament directors, tournament committee members, volunteers, and employees of all affiliated events and host sites, including the Palmetto Kingfish Tour, Grander Custom Tackle, and Palmetto Sweet 16 Shootout, are eligible to participate and win primary prizes just like any other entrant.
  11. Landfall: Following check-out, or once fishing hours have begun, no boats will be permitted to touch land until reaching the dock for weigh-in. Special consideration will be given to medical conditions and special circumstances that may arise during the day of fishing. The committee must be notified in advance of any situation that may warrant an exception to this rule.
  12. Boat Check: Tournament officials reserve the right to inspect any boat participating in the tournament prior to the start of fishing each morning. There will be random boat inspections at each event. Any boat that refuses inspection will be automatically disqualified from the tournament. No fish are allowed to be on-board caught from previous days. Either donate your fish or keep them in a cooler off your boat or you will be disqualified.
  13. Hand Signal Photo: Teams will be required to provide a photo of the fish they are weighing in with a designated hand signal and boat number. Hand signals will be texted/emailed to all participating Captains and Co-Captains the evening before each day of competition. This photo must be taken shortly after the fish has been gaffed, is on the deck, or is going into the fish bag. The fish must be “hot” and not iced down. The Captain or Co-Captain must be in the photo and must show the hand signal in the photo. Once in cell range, the Captain or Co-Captain will be required to text or email the photo of the fish to the PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT Committee at 843-834-5489 or email granderfishing@gmail.com. Subject should include your boat name. Each team will have until 9pm to submit their required photo. If a team fails to text or email a photo of their fish by the cutoff time period, they will be disqualified from earning points or money in that particular qualifying event. Each PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT qualifying event will administer mandatory polygraph tests given reason for a potential rules infraction. No exceptions!
  14. If any PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT team is disqualified from a qualifying event, no weights will be received for that event, and the team will be subject to disqualification without refund and removed from contention for any future PALMETTO KINGFISH TOUR or PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT opportunities. This decision is at the sole discretion of the PALMETTO SWEET 16 SHOOTOUT committee.
  15. WEIGHTS/TIES: In the event of a weight tie during a particular match, the team which has weighed the heaviest king mackerel during the season will advance. In the event of a tie in the first match, the higher ranked team will advance.
  16. The team that amasses the most wins will become the champion.
  17. Weather: Weather cancellations are made by the tournament director in the particular event. In the event of a tournament being canceled due to weather, weights will also cancel for that event, and the matches will be postponed and take place during a stand alone event sanctioned by the PALMETTO KINGFISH TOUR, with weigh-ins taking place at Tolers Cove Marina. Announcements regarding weather and other important tournament information will be communicated to team captains and co-captains via text messages, phone calls, and email. It is expressly understood that the permitting of fishing by tournament officials does not ensure the safety of registered anglers or any other occupants of their vessels. Captains, anglers, and all other members of registered boats must determine in their own judgment whether to fish under the given conditions based on factors including, but not limited to, the seaworthiness of their boat and their own seamanship.
  18. Protests: All protests must be made within 1 hour of the conclusion of the weigh-in, along with $500 cash or check made out to GRANDER CUSTOM TACKLE, LLC. Protests should be made based on first-hand eyewitness information. All decisions made by the tournament committee regarding protests are final. If the protest is validated, the $500 will be returned. If the protest is not overturned, then the $500 becomes property of Grander Custom Tackle, LLC. All decisions are FINAL!
  19. Polygraph: By entering the tournament, all captains, anglers, and occupants of their boats voluntarily consent to submit to a polygraph examination as deemed necessary by tournament officials. All decisions of the polygraph examiner will be final. Any captain, angler, or occupant of a registered boat who refuses to take a polygraph or provides untruthful answers as determined by the examiner will be disqualified from the tournament without further notice. Such a disqualification will eliminate payment or provision of any prize money, awards, and/or refund of entrance fees.
  20. Release: By signing the entry form, it is expressly understood that all participants enter at their own risk and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, hereby release, discharge, and hold harmless the Palmetto Sweet 16 Shootout, the Palmetto Kingfish Tour, and Grander Custom Tackle, its parents and affiliates, their officers, directors, owners, volunteers, and employees. By registering in the tournament, each team member consents to the use, without payment or restriction, of any photograph, video, tape recording, or sound in which he or she appears for any purpose whatsoever. By signing this entry form and paying the entry fee, my team and I acknowledge that we have read the release and are bound by the same.
  21. Tournament Discretion: The tournament director or the acting tournament committee reserves the right to implement his discretion at any time during the tournament as it may apply to the rules or any other circumstance that should arise during the course of the event.
  22. All anglers must have a valid South Carolina saltwater fishing license and comply with South Carolina and Federal Laws.
  23. VHF Channel: Tournament officials will monitor VHF 72 during competition hours. VHF 16 is an international distress frequency and should only be used for emergency calls and Coast Guard assistance.
  24. Winnings: Checks for the winning teams will be issued to the individual that filled out the W9 Form. 1099s for all winnings will also be made out to the person or entity listed during registration. The Captain or Co-Captain from each winning team must be present to receive a check. If no one from the PKT team is able to attend the Awards Ceremony, please notify us.
Download Full Rules (PDF)

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