I don't know exactly where it is, but from what a mate has pointed out to me. It's past the rock groynes, about 2 km's from shore straight out from the shacks?

Dont know if this is right but from what i've been told it around that area have seen a few boats anchored there, everytime i pass by.

Not sure they (3 of them) exist anymore I believe they are all silted up as I have gone over them a number of times and

just find MUD Glorious MUD!

 West from hillarys in the 20s, good luck bin some nice fish landed there

its still there although it doesnt right up too much! its the most publicised spot that hardly anybody knows where it is!

Has it been producing snapper?

there are alot better places to fish! the gravel patch is usually just the term people call a spot when they dont want you to no where they are fishing it is a highly pulicised spot that many people think is in different places!  its alomost a legend lol

The " Gravel Patch " is in fact a number of areas, most on the east side of the sound. I have fished the sound for pinks for 30+ years and sorry wont pass on my spots as my mates would send me down with the anchor LOL. but I will share this and you can see some of the areas with " gravel ".

Fish after a strong NW blow, nights have been best for us, getting out and set anchor 2 hours before sunset, drift baits ( no sinker ) to keep away from the rays.

http://www.ozcoasts.gov.au/geom_geol/case_studies/cockburn_final_report.jsp

Tight lines

Pete

Haha I couldn't agree more with you snapper!

Which one, there's probly a dozen or so gravely patches in the sound.

Cheers

Dale

Which gravel patch, I can pin point about 5-6 from Dunsborough right up past Lancelin not counting the ones in Cockburn sound.

Theres no such as " The Gravel patch"...... theres mud/silt/reef/coral/shale etc but thats its!

But there are definitely patches around the sound as used to dive it extensively collecting scallops and butterfly netting huge prawns at night under there was a so called minor cyanide spill that killed all the scallops

Have seen the outbreak of introduced fan worms which now cover lots of areas of the bottom as well 

There is a full aluminium mast out there as well - thought I had marked it for salvage (given the value of the ally) but someone either raised it or cut of the buoy I left on it and never found it again 

There is also a couple of small freshwater springs which bubble forth but again cannot pinpoint them exactly

I've had this discussion with Cockburn Sound Pink Snapper scientists & researches and they say the pinkys arent feeding on/around "gravel"

Yes limestone shaley shell grit stuff often known as "Shell" gravel (fragments and whole shells) .

Each to their own with thoughts on this but the grounds I dive, fish and tag for pinkys isnt gravel

there is spots wich people call the gravel patch...my belief is years ago ship ballest consisted off rocks(not lead) they use to dump(offload there ballest in centre off sound.) only what i have been told by one off the first pro fisherman in area ...i have dived one off my spots in centre to see what was there ..due to pulling up rock cod and big squid(62 feet) it was a heap off rocks(look like limestone) heaps off growth on them (coral ect) ranging from 1 to 2 feet in diameter...scattered on bottom ...there is heaps off dumps simular within 2 to 3 km range same stuff,same line..(s.west off d9 to out front off b.p) .out front off (b.p.) middle off sound i found the biggest piles off these rocks on bottom...snappermiles old man heaps off others call it gravel patch ...including my mate walfootrot ..another old old snapper man (old) .the best dumps is when you line up the 2 woody makers as 1...(you  now are dead centre off sound) ...my personal exp is out front off b.p best ...certain flame over certain tank... great mully spot.. also use to be fantastic for pinks...but its was always late in season (ban time now) ...i may be wrong but dead centre is what most call gravel...when chasing mullys (my personal fav) look for big bait schools  in same line ...(centre) anchor burley( using burley dropper) ...use medium running lead, fresh or live yellow tail ,.or big mullie...hit bottom. wind up 1 m off bottom...set drag and wait ...the main reason i leave off bottom(no crabs or rays) once rod goes you know you can eat it(gummy,pink.or mull) ......you always see a mully before you catch it(on sounder) ...they will come in have a look(drop there scent to attract there prey and come back and hammer you)..again no expert but it works for me...p.m is getting sent to you.. i havent have had as much exp as others on site about cockburn (26 years) but have a fair idea...and old franky(little lady) great bloke... his old man and the guy who taught me how to fish legends...

Exactly as Ryan says ...............and exactly what Cockburn Cement dredge up north of Woodmans Point  for conversion into lime

The ballast piles (and spoil from dredging the main ship channel) are all over the place in the Sound but several have been pinpointed above 

the plane wreck in front of the power station is the remains of a vampire jet which crashed in the sound many eions ago, plane flew out of pearce raaf base can't remember if pilot survived or not

 Don't give away the great myth! I have a few spots marked in that area! But as you said don't get to fish them now! Oh well I'm sure there will be fifty boats out there looking for the GRAVEL PATCH now! Lol happy hunting

Wow!!

Thats a whole heap of info to get into.  Thanks.

I've still to get my first legal pinky (been bloody close) but I've had some good gummies since a certain fella(thanks Johnny) gave me some pointers.

This web site is awesome.

there is a spot that people used to call the gravel patch that used to come up as a lump at 12 metres and just before the ban you would see boats trying to crowd around this area I did have this spot marked on the old sounder it was straight out from the old power station have caught plenty of snapper from that spot and it always had plenty of yakka's for fresh bait

The Gravel Patch, IMO is a name give to many locations within Cockburn Sound where people have caught Pinkies. As said by Little Johnny some of the old, old ballest dumps/lumps are called gravel patches by some of the older fishers, some call an area near Garden Island the patch, even the small reefs near BP, Alcoa, Verve Power Station have been called the patch. I guess the myth is going to remain a myth, as long as the name is used for so many locations within the Sound. Which is a good thing, as it keeps the myth alive, as it has done for the past 25+ years.

Long time ago we used to fish for pinkies from a 12' tinnie, 6 hand lines 150lb, I would have 3 and mate would have 3. When a school came through 5 or 6 hand lines would start flying around, you would get your limit in 1 shot. We done this a couple of times a week during the season and had a good supply of fresh fish as did some of the old folks in our street.

With all the new gear thats out there now, GPS, Sounders I think that it would be very easy for people to find one of the Gravel Patches, or an area thats worth trying. Remember that we used to go out, set the anchor, throw out the lines and wait, wait for a school to come through.

With information on this post, I think people have been given some very good leads.

Get out there with your sounders and spend a day in the sound, take no fishing gear, just have a look at whats there.

My last tip would be don't fish with the other 50 boats, its mad, no fun. find your Gravel Patch and keep the myth alive.

There is a spot near GI that once had pinkies in 5-6m of water, pinkies stayed for weeks, and only 2 boats knew about it.

If you find a good patch, try an keep it to yourself, or next time you go to it you may find yourself fishing with another 50 boats.

There is Gravel in the sound Mr Coleman rep  all good.

Enjoy the Pinkies before the sound is closed, may even give it a crack after this blow.

Tight Lines and Cold Beer!

Time for a nap