learning how to cast a fly rod

does any body have any tips on teaching a left handed blonde (ha ha) my wife on how to cast a fly rod. I have tried the clock method and she doe not get it all comments greatly appricieated. even the funny ones thanks for any input

Learning waht problems she is having is important. But for a beginner, I start them out making very short casts. Just have her try to throw the fly overhand toward a specific target. Next have her practice the lift of the fly off of a surface by lifting the rod tip and letting the fly float back so she can see the path the fly takes. Then have her try the fore cast and the lift and take away. Next move on to letting her feel what the rod feels like "loaded" with fly and line. Have her stand with about 30 feet of line out behind her with you holding on to the line and her pulling the rod forward (Take the barb off the hook!) and then as she pulls the rod forward let go of the fly so she can see and feel the required tension. Do the same with a lift and back cast; till she knows what the loaded rod feels like and she can see what the fly does. Then you can procede to lifting and casting with line already laid out. Just have her try to get the fly to pick and travel with you setting the lie out (front/back). then you can work on the clock method and explain that it isn't a snapping motion but rather a pulling motion. Then you can show her the the rod is brought back over your head and cast foreward over the shoulder to prevent casting through your own line. Be careful, she may learn to out cast you.

That ^ is a gooood deal. If you live in the Erie area. for someone from Pittsburgh it's a bit of a drive.

try this;
take her out back and give her the rod and reel but do not thread the line.
have her false cast stopping at 10-2:00 continuosly. this will give her a rythm of casting without worrying about the line for now. (10-2 is the most common but not always the best)
after she learns to stop for a second or two then line the rod and add a fly. make sure the fly is bright enough so she can see it.
pull out line enough that YOU can feel the rod load. (a softer rod is easier to feel it load.) and again let her false cast stopping shortly at 10 and 2 without letting any more line out. about three false casts each time.
you should be able to see if she's casting too quickly or too slow or not stopping. get her to cast at the same speed and motion.
 
when she gets the hang of this now you can let her cast the fly. watch and make sure she still stops briefly at backcast and forward cast. after the loop straightens than she can drop the tip to lay the fly down.
 
the longer the cast the more line you'll need, this is where you have to stop a little longer on the back cast to let the line straighten out some.
 
if you're casting heavy flies or streamers you may want to stop at the 1:00 position this way by the time you start the foward cast the heavy fly won't fall too low that it hits you in the head during the forward cast in case you are a little late.