Most fishing lures that you see proclaiming to be made of whale bone or whale ivory are fakes—something not made by whale men. These are usually in the form of trolled spoons or plugs—something not mentioned in whaling log books. This example, however, is of the type known as a “jig”—a weighted and adorned hook, jerked up and down near the bottom to attract near bottom fish (cod, halibut, haddock, etc). Whale log books frequently mention ship crews sent off for a day’s fishing when near a rocky shore, mainly to catch fresh fish to provide a respite from a salt pork and junk diet. This is the lure that they would have used, to jig it up and down near the bottom, unadorned by bait, except for some times with a strip of fresh fish flesh. The jig is overall about 7” long with a cod hook tied to a braided cord running through the lure. The head is lead to weight it, and the body is of whale skeletal bone, turned on the ships lathe to a pleasing tapered length. It will work as well today, as it would have 150 years ago. Fine.