Welker Canyon sits well out on the eastern edge of Georges Bank, one of the farther-flung big-game canyons. The long run keeps pressure lighter, and the rich Georges Bank edge holds yellowfin, bigeye, bluefin, marlin, swordfish and mahi.
The canyon
Fish the edge and the fingers along this eastern stretch of the bank. This is deep in the Georges chain, so it is almost always part of a multi-day, well-provisioned trip.
How to fish it
Troll the edge, chunk overnight, deep-drop for swordfish, and work floating structure for mahi.
Tip The farther east you run, the more the trip is about self-sufficiency. Out at Welker you are a long way from help, so redundancy in fuel, safety gear and electronics matters as much as the fishing plan.
Canyon-run safety The canyons are a long run into deep, open ocean, usually an overnight or multi-day trip far beyond help. Go in a capable, well-found boat, watch the weather window closely, carry proper safety and communications gear (EPIRB, life raft, redundant electronics), and file a float plan. This is serious offshore fishing.
Regulations Tuna are federally managed highly migratory species requiring an HMS permit, with category, size and retention rules that change through the season. Confirm current rules with NOAA Fisheries HMS before fishing.