My wife had never really fished until she went with me. I got her a spinning setup. Her go to is wacky rigged senkos and crankbaits. Started her out at a pond with some super easy fish where she could catch numbers like crazy. Shes learned a lot just from paying attention to how other people fish. As time went on instead of just lifting and dropping a senko she would add twitches and pops. Pretty cool to see her figure it out just from observing others.

A spinning reel is horrible for a person learning to target cast at the same time they are learning to fish at all.

I've successfully taught several significant others to fish when they had no experience. Some start with a spin-cast rig and some go right to the baitcaster. It all depends on their personality and how intimidated they do or don't feel. I agree with the person who did the brakes lock-down on the baitcaster; that works better than a spinning reel where they have no clue where the lure will land.... The spinning reel does little to teach the mechanics of a baitcaster while the spincast is a pretty good starting point.

My refined approach today is to provide a spincast rig, but have the baitcaster available with the brakes significantly engaged. Let them try what they want, but having the spincast rig available lets them back-off and still likely enjoy the outing if they get tired of the baitcaster. Having both for them also lets off some pressure that to fish, they must master the baitcaster.

I would never pay for guide services to teach casting - that's usually overboard at the beginning. An instructor can usually be found for less than guide rates, and no boat is needed to teach casting mechanics. Save the guide trip for LATER when they have some basics down - they'll enjoy that much better then.

I would do this since you are going to be at Fork Easter weekend. The fish will be shallow.

Senko tx.rigged weightless, or fluke weightless, or Senko wacky rigged and throw any of the three on a spinning rod with braid and a fluorocarbon leader.
Spinner bait if she wants to start learning how to cast a baitcaster.

Another option is a drop shot on spinning gear. My wife loves to drop shot.

When she is using a baitcaster she likes throwing a crank bait #1 and #2 is throwing a C-rig.
She now wants to learn to fish a jig.

She is getting pretty good at the A-rig and a spoon also.

HAHAHA Mine wouldn't either. Only way I can get her out there is if the back of the boat is open for tanning.

Take her to Squaw tie on a C-rig let her drag it while you fish...then beg her to run trolling motor so you can catch up in fish count.

Teach her to cast at home, before you ever get in the boat. when she gets basic casting down, let her start working on accuracy. Teach her to tie a proper knot. That will make your trip a whole lot nicer.

Wacky rigged Senko.. Mine will not throw a bait cast so I put braid on her spinning reel and she throws a frog more than anything.....

Took mine fishing for the first time and let hooked her up with a senko with a light weight and turned up the brakes etc and let her learn with the bait cast... she was determined. She had a couple come off, but wouldn't ya know I catch dinks all day and she puts a 5lbr in the boat.

I handed my girl a curado and have ur a 5min session on mechanics and how the reel works 10min later she was casting great and now prefers casting reels compared to closed face reels. She hates spinning reels haha takes after my own heart I guess. I started her out on square bills just toss is out and reel it in. Don't really have to set hook. Chatter baits are another lure I have found u can't "fish" wrong

Took my then girlfriend bass fishing for the first time (first time from a bass boat) and told her she might be better off trying a spinning rod first... She took that as a challenge and went straight for the baitcaster. That was 3 years ago, we're getting married in May and now she might be more hooked on bass fishing than me. She bought mine and her's entry fee to a tournament for my birthday...

Oh, when she was starting out with the baitcaster I would make a long cast with it, then put painters tape around the spool and reel it back in over the tape. This helped reduce the severity of backlashes when they happened.

I like that idea with the painters tape. Never thought of that. All she's ever thrown before this past weekend was a zebco closed faced type reel. I might take her in the yard and have her practice like that. Thanks for the idea.

Tie on a spinnerbait for her. That's what I do for my girlfriend and she has been out fishing me the last month or so lol.

I'd start her with a baitcaster in the yard. Just let her practice. I set up buckets or some objects to represent trees. Have patience and don't criticize every throw. Everybody has to learn somehow whether male or female. Think back to how you learned to fish. I caught my first bass on a rattle trap and it started my passion for bass fishing. Before you know it you'll be sitting in the back seat while she runs the trolling motor.

A wife belongs with a broom in her hand not a g-loomis rod.

And y'all wonder why we hate Yankees in the south?