Christine Pancoast knew how to fish before she took the training wheels off her bicycle.  "My mother says I could tie fishing knots before I could tie my shoes," she said.

Now the 51-year-old Brigantine resident is one of the top surf anglers in the tri-state area, as are many of her teammates on the Women's Surf Fishing Club of New Jersey.

Of the 40-plus teams that comprise the Association of Surf Angling Clubs, Pancoast's squad is the only one featuring an all-female lineup.  There used to be others such as the Mermaids of Brigantine, but they eventually faded away.  But the WSFC remains as strong as ever.  The organization has 36 members and is in its 54th season.

Roughly half them are active competitors on the ASAC circuit.  The season, which runs from May to November, began May 6 with the South Jersey Surfcasters tournament in Wildwood Crest, followed by 25th Karl J. Boehret tournement in Sea Isle City on May 13.

Because teams are permitted six anglers, the WSFC will frequently enter two - and sometimes three - teams into a tournament.  And they usually fare quite well.

"The men's teams give us tremendous support," Pancoast said.  "But they also know that if they don't watch their backs, they're in trouble. We can definitely hold our own against them.  We've been known to take a tournament or two in our time."

The team generally ranges in age from 30 to 50, and the anglers come from all walks of life. One works in New York City during the week for Giorgio Armani and heads to the shore to fish every weekend. Another works at a northern New Jersey bank.

Pancoast is a trainer/supervisor in environmental services for Atlantic City's Borgata Casino Resort & Spa. She works the night shift to leave her days free for fishing.

"They call me the 'Fisher Lady' because I'm the only woman who drives to work in a truck with racks in the back," Pancoast said.

"The Borgata is very accomodating.  They give me Saturdays off to fish and they also makae donations to various tournaments."

When it comes time to cast a line, Pancoast frequently finds herself standing next to her mentor - her mother.

Florence Pancoast, one of the original members of the WSFC, recently turned 80 and is recovering from broken ribs suffered in a fall, but is still capable of catching a big one when it counts.

"She's as spry as anyone I know," Christine Pancoast said. "She may be 80, but she drives a truck just like mine, she bartends four nights a week and she still fishes as much as possible."