The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is on pace to sell a record number of fishing licenses this year. That's according to spokesman Kevin Baskins, who says restored lakes and better weather could be behind the increase.

Through June 1, Iowa residents bought 34,000 more season fishing licenses than the same period last year, an increase of 17 percent. Nonresidents bought about 1,700 more licenses, an increase of 19 percent.

Sales are the highest they've been since the state's electronic licensing system went online in 2002.

Residents bought more than 229,500 licenses total through June 1, breaking the record set in 2003 by more than 6,800. Nonresidents bought almost 700 more licenses than they did in 2002, the year of the previous record.