shares still arrive even when solo

Probably an easy answer, but why do I still very slowly get fractional shares when I am solo? Shouldn't it be all or nothing? If it hit a block it would be more than the few cents that trickle in, as it is Litecoin. So why am I still getting any income at all without hitting a block? I am running an L3++, and all setting correctly reflect that I am in solo mode. And if I wasn't I would make about $7/day instead of $1.


Settings

Mining Mode
Solo
Algorithm
Scrypt
Coin
Litecoin
Average Hashrate
591.819 MH/s
Shares Last 2h
398
First Share
1 d 50:31 ago
Difficulty
131,072
Target Difficulty
131,072 (dynamic)
Minimum Difficulty
Not Set
Restart Delay
3.849s

I am wondering if somehow I am merge mining one coin mistakenly instead of solo mining the LTC? I saw Steve's comment on another thread about that. My settings definitely say SOLO, but I am only a few days into mining and have much to learn.
Any help would be appreciated. That wound explain the reduced results that keep trickling in, but the settings say solo LTC. As Steve pointed out, it would be a waste to merge mine one coin and lose the optimization built into the dynamic mode.

At prohashing even while solo mining you will still merge mine, and those merge mined shares are paid out as Pay Per Share in the primary coin. So you will see a small steady gain at all times, with the occasional big jump if you find a block.

Thanks, Alynn. Surprising. Solo seems like it would be nothing to do with merge mining. So if you hit a block, do you get to keep all except 3%? Merge mining and solo mining seem opposite, sorry if an obvious answer.

islanTrader wrote: Thanks, Alynn. Surprising. Solo seems like it would be nothing to do with merge mining. So if you hit a block, do you get to keep all except 3%? Merge mining and solo mining seem opposite, sorry if an obvious answer.

You will keep the full value minus the fee of any LTC block you find. Since you are already being paid for merge mined like Doge you would not see any Doge or Doge converted to LTC if you find a Doge block..

islanTrader wrote: Thanks, Alynn. Surprising. Solo seems like it would be nothing to do with merge mining. So if you hit a block, do you get to keep all except 3%? Merge mining and solo mining seem opposite, sorry if an obvious answer.

Merge mining is just trying to submit a block to multiple networks at the same time. You get to try to find a merged mined block for free even when trying to solo a primary coin, so why not?

Thanks ryguy and Alynn,

Ryguy I guess the only reason why I would question the merge mining trying to find the merged mined block... wouldn't that take hashes away from my hashrate? Maybe if so, what impact %?

islanTrader wrote: Thanks ryguy and Alynn,

Ryguy I guess the only reason why I would question the merge mining trying to find the merged mined block... wouldn't that take hashes away from my hashrate? Maybe if so, what impact %?

It does not take away from your hashrate, as you submit a single solution for both networks. Essentially you're using your hashrate on both chains simultaneously. It's a bit more complicated technically, but there is no negative impact.