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

A.			1	Experience		20%
			2	Spots/Practice		20%
			3	Lure choice		10%
			4	Luck		0%
			5	Concentration		50%

Q2.

How did you prepare, mentally, for this event?

A.			I thought about the situation ahead of time, knowing there would be a need to find
			a strong ecosystem, with plenty of forage, and a large population of quality bass in
			an unpressured location.

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

A.			Yes, (smiles)...the first four days that I prefished, earlier in the season,
			I didn't catch a single keeper!

Q4.	What adjustments had to be made?

A.			I had to pursue the best options, harder than the competition,
			and eliminate unproductive water.

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

A.			Yes, I am a shallow water man at heart, but when I found my pattern deep,
			I knew that few competitors would be fishing exactly the same way I would.

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

A.			I had a definite plan to fish specific locations at very specific times.
			The fish were patterned and would feed at certain times of the day.
			I had confirmed this throughout the week of prefishing.

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

A.			Day one went exactly as planned. The fish were right on schedule.
			And that first fish, a four pounder, felt awesome!

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

A.			Confidence. I knew those fish would be in the area under any condition.
			I felt I would have to concentrate even harder on the retrieve of my lure,
			visualizing it's action and the reaction of highly pressured fish.

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

A.			I didn't get a bite for the first two and a half hours, but I knew the fish were nearby.
			So, based on what I had learned about the area during prefishing, I started
			following their migration routes. I soon ran into the school and caught a limit in about
			twenty five minutes. In other words, I had a picture in my mind of what the layout
			was like underwater. and from my experiences during prefishing, I had a good idea
			what the bass would do under the conditions of the second day of the tournament.

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

A.				Every member of the Minnesota B.A.S.S. Federation has the same goal,
				to become a better fisherman. The best gauge of their improvement is the State
				Championship. By the time the tournament begins, we have all spent countless
				hours honing our skills. The level of competition is ferocious!
				I believe you need tunnel vision to win. You must maintain a level of
				concentration throughout the tournament that is higher than any one else!
				If you have worked very hard and done your homework, you have the
				"opportunity" to win. To win, you must stay focused.

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