Q1.		If you were to divide your victory into percentages for the following categories,
		what would they be?

A.			1	Experience		40%
			2	Spots/Practice		25%
			3	Lure choice		20%
			4	Luck		0%
			5	Concentration		15%

Q2.

How did you prepare, mentally, for this event?

A.			I felt very confident in the spots I found prefishing. With the high winds that were
			forecast, I had to be prepared for a water depth change in the shallows. I continually
			reinforced my thought processes on my decisions by analyzing my past experiences.

Q3.	Was there a time, prior to this tournament, when you did not feel confident about
	establishing a winning pattern(s)?

A.			No, I had found four good mini-ecosystems. I could rely on each one for a limit.
			Each of these systems had bass as the dominant predator, unlike many other areas.

Q4.	What adjustments had to be made?

A.			I followed my "sixth sense", which is a blend of knowledge and experience that allows
			me to make instinctive decisions on the water. I don't think about, I just do it!

Q5.	Did anything occur that pushed you to a higher level of confidence?

A.			When I crossed the main lake in those 40 to 45 mph winds and made it safely,
			I knew it would be a good day. I had a really good bag by 10:00 a.m. on the first day,
			and nothing helps your confidence like bass in the box!

Q6.	The first morning of the State Championship Tournament, what was your game plan?

A.			To win! I had worked really hard in the off season doing research on the lake and the
			types of ecosystems that it held. I verified during pre-fishing that I did in fact
			understand the ecosystems and that that knowledge would enable me to use the
			best presentations. I was not going to settle for second place!

Q7.	Did things go as planned or did you have to make adjustments on that first day?

A.			The pulling water (due to the high winds) forced me to make minor adjustments.
			Mostly just boat positioning. But, I did have to bail out early for safety reasons.

Q8.	After the first day, what was going through you mind?

A.			I was hoping for a switch in the wind direction so I could fish my other two spots.
			On the first day, both spots were being pounded hard by the wind. I didn't know if
			my first two spots would produce with the water continually dropping. I was preparing
			my second day game plan with this in mind. I thought I would only need two or
			three bites, so if the wind kept blowing, I was going back to my first day spots and
			just scramble fish.

Q9.	What adjustments had to be made for day two of the tournament?

A.			The wind didn't let up or change direction. So I went back to my first two spots.
			With the fishing pressure and the water dropping, I figured I would have to rely on
			my "sixth sense". What I call "Being in the Zone", which would allow me to
			spot-fish visual cover in the same general location but cover water effectively that
			I didn't have a chance to pre-fish.

Q10.	Ken, in conclusion, what does it take to have the “Mind of a Champion"?

A.				I believe there are three very important facets to championship caliber fishing.
				First and foremost, dedication. You must live and breathe bass fishing!
				Secondly, knowledge. You must truly understand the ecosystems. You must know
				what the bass are going to do under a given set of circumstances or conditions.
				And third, experience. Experience will tell you if your knowledge is correct and it
				will give you the confidence you need each and every time you go fishing.
				If you combine these three things and you can tap into them, you will always make
				the right decisions on the water. That's what I call "Being in the Zone"!

A special "Thank You" to Mark Elert for the Mind of a Champion concept.