it depends on where you go, most of the big lakes you still need a license, some of the smaller ones in parks you just pay a daily fee if the ranger comes around.
The three really nice ponds around my house I have asked the owners (or my dad has) and all have said no =\
One was a pond i grew up fishing on, a watershed project, we'd fish for crappie and throw the bass back, and throw the mudcats up on the bank. We "sub-leased" the fishing rights from the fellow that had the land leased, but when the owner passed away his grandson locked everything up and said he was going to build a house out there and didnt want anyone on his land period. I was not happy with the decision but he didnt know anyone in the area so i can see his viewpoint.
The second was another watershed, but that one got locked up after a calf was run-over by some drunken idiots. The rancher didn't know about it for a week or so until he went looking for it. So now nobody gets to fish there but his imediate family, and it was a NICE lake.
and the third I might have good luck with the next owners, the property is for sale right now. When the current owner bought the property they locked everyone out because they were going to run a day camp on the quarter section and didn't want anyone that hadn't paid to be there out there with the groups. (also understandable)
There is a very small pond directly behind my house but it dries up every summer. And I DO have access to a couple small ponds but they are crapshoots as to whether or not there are fish in them as the moss tends to choke everything out every couple years or so. I remember when i was little going down there with a rake and trying to pull as much of it in as possible.
I think what I'll do is get on google maps and see if anyone has a good size body of water nearby and then check to see if I can fish it, Or i could just do it the old fashioned way and ask around.
It's getting mighty tempting to go out and get a license though. Too much dust on my rod and reel