Riley Green and Luke Bryan weren’t in the studio, they were just fishing when it all started. The title track, ‘Reel Problems,’ was sitting on Green’s phone, waiting for the right moment. Instead of waiting for his label to approve it, Green broke with convention and texted Bryan directly. What followed turned a normal day by the lake into one of the most talked-about duets of the year

How a Day on the Lake Turned Into a Hit: Riley Green and Luke Bryan’s “Reel Problems”

Sometimes, the best collaborations don’t happen in a studio — they happen with a fishing rod in hand.

That’s exactly how Riley Green’s upbeat duet with Luke Bryan, “Reel Problems,” came to life. Featured on Green’s 2024 album Don’t Mind If I Do, the track takes a fun, clever spin on the phrase “real problems,” swapping it out for the kind fishermen know best.

A Friendship That Started on the Water

Green recently shared that his friendship with Luke Bryan began the good old-fashioned way — out on the lake.

“One of the first things we did together was go fishing in his lake down south in Nashville,” Green recalled. “We had a great time. He’s just one of those guys that’s easy to be around. Growing up in Georgia, he and I came from the same world, so we hit it off right away.”

That casual day outdoors planted the seed for a future song — and made Luke the obvious first choice when Green later wrote “Reel Problems.”

A Song That Wrote Itself

Green co-wrote the track with Erik Dylan and Wyatt McCubbin, inspired by a simple note he’d saved in his phone.

“I had that title written down — Reel Problems — and knew exactly what I wanted it to be,” Green said. “It was one of those easy, lighthearted songs to write. I’ve got a lot of songs that lean more serious, but this one’s just fun. That play on ‘real’ and ‘reel’ came naturally.”

Once the song was done, Green bypassed the usual channels and sent it directly to Bryan.

“Stuff like this probably should go through the labels and management,” Green admitted with a laugh. “But I just texted him, and it worked.”

From Text to Track

Green said the song felt like a perfect fit for Bryan — not just because of his love for fishing, but because of the music they both enjoy.

“I think that fishing trip is exactly why he was the first person I sent the song to,” Green explained. “It’s always more about the friendships than the business side. That’s how this came together — totally natural.”

A Stacked Album With Even More to Come

“Reel Problems” is just one of 18 tracks on Don’t Mind If I Do, which also features the emotional “Jesus Saves,” the fan-favorite “Worst Way,” and a standout duet with Ella Langley on the title track — which officially heads to country radio on July 21.

While there’s no word yet on whether “Reel Problems” will be released as a single, Green already has a few ideas cooking for a potential video.

In the meantime, fans can catch him on the road — his Damn Country Music Tour is running strong through the end of the year.