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Keeping your fresh fish ungutted or gutted is simply a matter of preference. There really is no right or wrong option between the two. However, you should keep in mind that ungutted fish and gutted fish should be treated differently in order to retain their freshness.

To keep ungutted fish fresh on ice for at least one to two days, anglers should properly bleed the catch first. Neglecting to bleed a fish before storing them on ice will cause the blood to coagulate and discolor the meat of the fish and even affect its taste. Bleeding them properly allows you to store the fish for 24-48 hours, and once you get home, keeping them in a refrigerator will make them last for another 24 hours. After that, the fish will slowly start to go bad. Even if you keep them in a refrigerator, ungutted fish will still decompose faster because the guts that are still there have bacteria that make decomposition and spoilage faster.

If you’re fishing specifically for table fare, you’re probably prepared to gut your fresh caught fish on deck. Gutted fish will last longer on ice as long as you refrigerate them - at least two to three days. If you freeze them, they will definitely last longer but do note that although they may be technically safe to eat, their taste will still deteriorate over time. 

The important thing to note