Koozie vs Paddlefish: Montana Anglers Love a Chill-N-Reel Gadget

If you’ve ever muttered, “Man, I wish I could fish without taking time out of my busy schedule to put my drink down,” then meet your new best friend, the Chill-N-Reel. It is a handline fishing reel that is ingeniously built into a drink koozie. And yes, it’s as ridiculous and wonderful as it sounds.

Well, a video recently went viral showing someone catching a giant paddlefish with nothing more than the Chill-N-Reel. No rod or reel, just a cold drink, a strong grip, and nerves of steel. We don’t know exactly where the catch occurred, but paddlefish swim throughout the Missouri River system and are a popular fish to catch here in Montana. These ancient river monsters can weigh as much as 100 pounds. So, watching one get pulled in with what amounts to a party cup accessory? That’s some wild stuff.

Now, here’s where Montana enters the picture in regards to the story behind the Chill N Reel..

While the product was invented by a firefighter named Jake Rutledge in Oklahoma, the Montana roots run deep. Rutledge’s brother-in-law, Chris Diede, is a proud Billings West High grad and was instrumental in the rising success of the Chill-N-Reel. When the product gained traction and broke their website, it was Diede who designed and built the e-commerce platform that kept their business running. And the legend goes that the very first order ever was placed in Missoula.

Whether you’re floatin’ a river or kickin’ it at camp, the Chill-N-Reel is a reminder that sometimes the best fishing gear is the one wrapped around a cold one.