Program

Baztec Fishing & Outdoors

4931 Russell Ave., N Minneapolis, MN 55430

Started in 2023


About

Baztec Fishing & Outdoors provides underserved and underrepresented communities access to outdoor activities by offering free education programs, workshops, and seminars to bilingual and BIPOC youth in Minnesota through community outreach.

Categories ProgramAdaptive SportsBIPOCChildren & YouthEducational / Vocational

Program Details

Baztec Fishing & Outdoors mission and goal is to create safe green spaces for BIPOC youth to enjoy fishing events and other engaging educational outdoor activities. 

Our BIPOC outdoor programs consist of a series of fishing events, seminars, and workshops that help to educate participants on rod and reel anatomy, proper knot tying, appropriate casting techniques, identifying fish species, and various fishing techniques to help catch and harvest specific fish species.

Each event is designed to cover a range of topics intended to enhance participants’ understanding of fishing and aquatic resource management. Key educational topics include: 

  • Minnesota Fishing Rules and Regulations: An overview of the state’s fishing regulations, including harvest and possession limits as well as specific rules governing different types of fishing.
  • Fish Ecology and Techniques: How the ecology of different fish species affect fishing strategies.  This includes discussions on techniques and tools tailored to catch and land specific fish species. 
  • Preventing the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species: Best practices for identifying and preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species. This includes practical steps anglers can take to protect the state’s aquatic ecosystems.
  • Fishing Access and Resources: Information on fishing locations and resources for finding accessible fishing locations in Minnesota. 
  • Angler Etiquette: Being courteous to other anglers, respectful treatment and handling of the fish, and care for the environment.
  • Resource Management: Educating anglers on the benefits of fishing to support the management of Minnesota's aquatic resources and ways to uphold these efforts. 

Additionally, each event is followed by a questionnaire that gathers feedback used to refine the content and delivery of future events.

In the future, Baztec Fishing and Outdoors plans to expand its offerings by introducing new and exciting outdoor activities, including combined camping and fishing excursions as well as hunting, archery, hiking, birding, kayaking, canoeing, and biking.

Services Offered

  • Community Outreach 
  • Youth Fishing Programs 
  • Family Fishing Programs
  • Adult BIPOC Fishing Programs 
  • Seminars
  • Workshops 
  • Birding 
  • Hiking 
  • Hunting

Staff Composition
1 Executive Director - male, BIPOC, bilingual
4 Professional Staff - 3 males, 1 female. All are BIPOC and bilingual

Cost to Participate
All of our organizations’ fishing and outdoor education programs and activities are free to participants and community members.

Contact Ray Ruiz — Executive Director (612) 296-2641 Website

Baztec Fishing & Outdoors Collaboration with Minnesota Law

Recent Case Studies

A large sculpture of an animal head made from plants, with one side of the head resembling a child’s rocking horse, and the other side a dinosaur.

Place

Glenstone

A contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland, Glenstone has transformed former disparate residential properties into a contemplative, integrated experience with unique architecture, rolling topography, native meadows, and outdoor art.

Two children play on modern-styled exercise equipment with an adult standing near one of them. There are trees, shrubs, and perennials planted on either side and a street with parked cars in the background.

Place

Ricardo Lara Linear Park

Once a flood-prone dumping ground along Interstate 105 in Lynwood, California, Ricardo Lara Linear Park is now a community-focused park that includes a one-mile walking trail, two playgrounds, a community garden, and exercise stations.

A participant in the National Experiential Learning Program does field work in a grassy plain spotted with flowers at Grand Teton National Park under a blue sky. Behind them in the distance is a vast mountain range.

Program

Groundwork USA's National Experiential Learning Program

Groundwork USA’s National Experiential Learning Program is a summer program that brings youth and young adults from communities across the Groundwork Network to some of our nation’s most iconic National Parks where they connect to the land through experiential learning, workforce development, stewardship, and recreation.