Solo Kayak Camping with Home Grown Veggies Over the Fire on Ohio's BEST RIVER

The Mad River is one of Ohio's best kayaking rivers and I'm fortunate to have it just minutes away from my home. On this trip I did a self shuttle by hiding my kayak at the put in location then driving my truck to the take out location, then jogging back to my kayak and then paddling back down river to my truck.
I put in at SR 55 on the South side of Urbana and took out at Tremont City Rd. I brought some veggies with me from the farm and cooked dinner over the fire on a sand bar. A huge thunderstorm roared through late in the evening causing water levels to rise nearly a foot and threatened to flood my campsite.
0:00-1:00 intro
1:00-2:51 hiding kayak at put in and driving to take out
2:51-5:50 jogging back to kayak
5:50-11:39 kayaking the Mad
11:39-15:24 setting up camp
15:24-21:57 starting fire and cooking and eating dinner
21:57-22:14 massive thunderstorms
22:14-25:47 inspecting the flooding, morning coffee and breaking down camp
25:47- 29:11 back on the water to the finish
29:11-30:59 loading kayak and gear, the end

[@adamrehling6971]

Glad to see you back on the mad river. Used your videos to plan our first trip last weekend. We loved it. Thanks.

[@jasonwish-]

Awesome! I have another Mad River video coming out tomorrow night hopefully...I did another section from Eagle City Rd in Springfield to Spangler Rd just North of Dayton. Plan to finish up my section paddle of the Mad in a few weeks. Thanks Adam!

[@drewloman8783]

I love the Mad River. One of my go-to winter trout fishing rivers since it seemingly never freezes. Last time we were on there we caught gorgeous trophy brownie after dumping the kayak under a log in 35ish degree water. Would love to do an overnight in the in winter. Could get interesting! Like always, great video, and info.

[@jasonwish-]

I need to learn how to catch trout, I woul love to do a catch and cook trip on the mad! The spring where the Mad begins as a small creek is just 7 miles down the road in my buddies field...I've actually filmed it in another video talking about how cold it is and how it barely freezes in the winter. We tried winter kayaking once and I got swamped at the little tractor crossing, not very fun for me! Thanks for watching!

[@juliacook8059]

Another great video Jason! I love it when you show cooking over the fire... your supper looked so good. Love the Mad River too!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Julia!

[@kimklinow9122]

Would like to say thank you .Just started kayaking you have helped me a lot Just got back from the Ausable river trip 3 day great times. Thank you again.

[@jasonwish-]

You are very welcome! So glad to hear that my videos have been helpful to others. I have so many great memories of the Ausable River!

[@kimklinow9122]

@jasonwish- This is a something that has no age limit. Just turned 67 and loving kayaking I have a lot of places to go here in Ohio.

[@jasonwish-]

@@kimklinow9122 very true! I'll be 50 this year and I hope I have many years of kayaking ahead of me!

[@DMSAdventures]

Fun little adventure! Did you know it was going to storm? didn't seem like it would. Before you went to bed I was thinking... man what if it flash flooded!! Then you showed that shot in the dark in your tent and I was like... uh oh!! Delicious looking meal! What a way to end an evening! Mister said "I loved it!" I think he'd be up for a kayak adventure before I would!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Mark! I had no idea it was going to storm...that could have went terribly wrong! I'm telling you, kayak camping adventures are the best! You guys need to try it out...mister knows 😉😉

[@ryanwalden9072]

Jason you have the best yak videos out there. They're real and unscripted. Please keep them coming

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks so much Ryan, I'm glad you enjoy my yak vids! They are so fun for me to make and I can't wait to get on a new river for my next one!

[@ItsGoodintheWoods]

Yeah buddy!!!!

[@jasonwish-]

If things will stop growing so fast on the farm, I might get a chance to watch your latest canoe trip lol!

[@markogletree2790]

We actually just got off the big Manistee River in upper Michigan. It's so relaxing to float down these rivers. There's nothing else like it. Great video Jason!

[@jasonwish-]

Love the Big Manistee! Really want to thru paddle the entire river one of these days. Thanks Mark!

[@SouthernPaddler]

What a great trip!! Enjoyed this very much, Jason!! Dan

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Dan! Appreciate you coming along for the adventure!

[@Olivejuice1977]

Great video! We are headed down the Muskegon river this weekend! Looking forward to your next adventure!

[@jasonwish-]

Nice! Have a great time! I have the little Muskegon on my list of Ohio Rivers. Thanks for checking out my video!

[@kimlittleton4943]

What a gem !!! This is beautiful. I love the crystal clear water and easy paddling. Garlic scapes....yeah!!! So yummy. Peeps do not realize what they are missing if they do not grow real food :) Glad you were wise to get back off the river. Great video Jason.

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Kim! Yes, garlic scapes are a great addition to meals!

[@robramsay1945]

The Etowah River near Dahlonega in northern Georgia is my home river for kayaking and I can do it solo, too. I enjoyed your video.

[@jasonwish-]

I actually did a little research on that river a few years ago for a winter kayaking trip but it never materialized. Thanks!

[@OldGoatintheWoods]

Nice float & yeah, that water clarity is incredible! Well, prior to the rain as you said. ;)

[@jasonwish-]

Yes, not too many clear Ohio rivers. Appreciate you checking out the video!

[@Cobalt135]

Grew up living 1/4 mile from Mad River so spent many summers along and on the Northern half of the river and the creeks that feed it after rains with friends (Tremont, Eagle City, St. Paris Pk. and Rt. 41 and Forest Lake area) and it is exactly as you describe. Good flow, clear, and shade. Ended up moving about 4 miles West of the river up Rt. 41 now and looking at getting a kayak to float/camp the river once again. Actually found your channel searching Mad River on KZbin last year and subscribed to both channels. 👍

[@jasonwish-]

That’s awesome, having a river nearby when growing up is pretty special, makes for a lot of great memories! Well, hopefully you can get back out there soon and enjoy it once again. Thanks for following along on my adventures!

[@joelcarminati7822]

Great video Jason. Can’t wait for upcoming fall video’s

[@jasonwish-]

I can't wait to partipate in them...seems so far away right now but I know it will come quickly! Thanks Joel!

[@thomasc7332]

That sandbar looked familiar. l stopped there less than a month ago for a long lunch break. Thanks for another great video!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks! It’s a nice little sandbar but can certainly be a gamble to spend the night on that one during thunderstorms 😂

[@jamesosborne5950]

You always cook great food on these adventures. It’s a blessing to watch your videos

[@jasonwish-]

I love cooking while out on the river but it is a lot more work....lots of new veggies on the menu for my next one! Thanks James!

[@losborne5]

Beautiful video. We are very close to Mad River. It is a beautiful area.

[@jasonwish-]

Indeed it is! I like to explore other Ohio rivers but they just make me appreciate the Mad even more.

[@jeremymalatt317]

Awesome video brother, can't wait for the next one. I have the same kayak that you have and I love it. Can't wait to take mine on a camping trip along the river. Take care man! 😁

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Jeremy! I really like mine too, perfect for kayak camping. I’m hoping to get back out on the water again very soon!

[@brianross585]

@@jasonwish- What kayak do you have?

[@jasonwish-]

@@brianross585 Perception Hook 10.5

[@earthbender79]

I love getting notifications that you have a new video up! Another great one bud! I watched you this past weekend when I did a camp on the Scioto river outside Kenton and Hepburn. Lol just something about watching other people doing the same thing while out under the stairs. Anyhow, great video man!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Ryan! You've been on the ol Scioto quite a bit lately...

[@earthbender79]

Yes sir I have. I made a promise to myself over the winter that I'd hit it harder then I had before and I stuck to it. Sadly, not sure if I'll have the time this weekend. Work has been very busy this week and next. I'm hoping for a good rain day and I'll be right back at it.

[@jamesosborne5950]

Your videos are fantastic. I can’t wait to get well enough to be able to be on the water again

[@jasonwish-]

I appreciate that James, glad you enjoy the vids! Hope you can get out there again someday!

[@redshepherdoutdoors7201]

Nice relaxing trip. I’ve been wanting to do one of these lately but I’ll have to wait for more rain to make the the rivers flow better. Rain been scarce in our area. Liked your style of supper there. I do a lot of those hodgepodge skillets too. Glad you didn’t wreck the drone this time 😂.

[@jasonwish-]

We’ve been blessed with an abundance of rain so far this summer. Yeah those little overnight kayaking trips do the body and soul some good. I got another overnight plan in the next week or two. I’m trying to come up with some good ideas for my skillet over the fire, probably add some sweet corn and green beans next time!

[@Maxspeed1998]

Awesome video Jason, we plan on hitting the Mad River this fall!

[@jasonwish-]

Nice, hope you have a great time! Thanks for checking out my video!

[@brianmichael5915]

What farmers markets do you attend on a regular basis? It would be great to meet you and get some of that salsa! 😁

[@jasonwish-]

Well, actually I really don't attend them myself any longer...I'm too busy back at the farm loading the 6 trucks to be able to go myself, by the time I load and get everyone on the road I don't even have time to get ready to go. But you can find us at the following markets; Worthington (the best one), Clintonville, Dublin, Powell, Logan County (Bellefontaine), and our Marysville retail trailer.

[@deandurfey4715]

Hey Jason, Love your videos. I would love to make a suggestion being a new kayak member. I really wanna do an overnight kayak trip but I don't know Long it takes To kayak Versus distance. So my suggestion to you would be Either add a clock to your videos Or start telling How long it takes for you to get to your certain camp sites. I'm just trying to figure out how long it would take To get from certain drop off points to the camp site.. Thank you sir!!

[@jasonwish-]

Thanks Dean! That is a great suggestion! In my last two Madriver videos I do actually discuss the exact mileage and time to get from one put in to another...I'll try to remember to do this more often!

[@BarnCatsandGoldenRetrievers]

Did you happen to graduate from Belfountain or Ben Logan? I was Ben Logan class of 1992. Thanks for the inspiration by the way, spent my youth on Rivers, canoes, and kayaks joined the military, and 20 years went by never did it again . Looks like Im back. Little Miami is 4 miles away from me down here in Clifton.

[@jasonwish-]

Yes! Bellefontaine class of '92. Its a great way to unwind and relax...especially pushin 50 lol! Enjoy the LMR...I thru-paddled it last year in three sections and had a blast! Have you seen those videos?

[@BarnCatsandGoldenRetrievers]

Yes

[@bChipps]

shame that shuttling is such a huge pain in the midwest. Want to do more solo floats but the options for self shuttling make it near impossible to do in a day

[@jasonwish-]

If you have friends or family willing to help out definitely makes it a lot easier. Some rivers have liveries nearby or you can use Uber if you can find a place to hide kayak at the put in location. Sometimes you just got get creative 😁

[@bChipps]

@@jasonwish- just hard on the mad haha

[@brianross585]

Jason: Love your videos! My wife and I have been kayaking for about 3-yrs. We currently have (2) sit-in sea kayaks. They are awesome for Eastfork Lake, but doing the kind of kayak camping on Ohio rivers like you do doesn't look feasible. We want to start kayak camping. What kind of kayak are you using? What is your recommendation for someone buying their first kayak for camping?

[@jasonwish-]

Hey Brian, glad you enjoy the videos and that’s awesome to hear you’re gonna try kayak camping! I use a perception hook 10.5. Before that I just had a cheap pelican from rural King but I lost it during a flood. I prefer a sit in versus a sit on top, because I think they’re more stable and have far more storage. The main thing I look for other than a comfortable seat is The back outside storage capacity, I like to be able to set my backpack in there. I don’t necessarily want internal dry storage, I like to be able to reach everything from my seat while I’m kayaking, and mine has lots of room beside the seat in front between my legs and behind my seat. Hope that helps a little, just let me know if you have any other questions.

[@jasonwish-]

I also love how mine has a handle on the front and the back and since it’s a fishing kayak, I can use the Scotty mount attachment to hold my cameras for KZbin

[@brianross585]

@@jasonwish- Thanks for the quick response. My wife and I are "researching" now. I think we are sold on the Old Town Loon or Wilderness Pugo. Just trying to find a store around us that carries them so we can look at them. Again, love the videos. I was watching a River Kings video yesterday "Current River in Missouri" and Pete gave you and "The Colonel" a shoutout. Pretty cool... OH...and your paddle down the Little Miami in the flood was epic.

[@Nick-mc2hy]

Hey Jason how are you still liking this kayak? I just bought one and was curious what your impressions of it are after 3 years of ownership. I’m looking to take it on river just like the mad

[@jasonwish-]

Hey Nick, I absolutely love my perception hook, it does everything I need it to and it’s the perfect size for small rivers and holds all my gear for overnight or multi day trips. Of course, I don’t have a lot of experience in other kayaks to compare it to but for now, it’s still my go to kayak. Tonight at eight will be another video on the Mad River and I spend a few minutes talking about what gear I take and how I pack the kayak.

[@Nick-mc2hy]

@@jasonwish- that’s great! I’ll definitely check out the video.

[@abairgoodman8045]

I’m in ohio and been wanting to do this thought just camping anywhere was illegal

[@jasonwish-]

Many people kayak camp on the Mad. There is a canoe livery called Birch Bark that has a riverside campground and one or two others further down river near Dayton I believe. Yes, camping on the river banks and islands on Ohio rivers is considered trespassing when the river passes through private property. Some rivers have city, county and state park campgrounds along them like the Little Miami but the Mad does not. Most of us just discreetly stealth camp and leave no trace if we are unable to contact the property owners ahead of time, which is obviously the better/safer option.

[@abairgoodman8045]

@@jasonwish- awesome also what are you filming on?

[@jasonwish-]

@@abairgoodman8045 that was just a gopro 10 on that trip but all my other trips in the past are with a cannon g7x mark 3, but I've lost two in the river over the years so I've finally learned my lesson, lol. I just hate the audio on the gopro but it least the water won't ruin it.

[@gregoryross7114]

I would like to do this I am from nw ohio

[@jasonwish-]

Its so fun and relaxing, hopefully you get a chance to try it out!