I have no real experience on mining so someone might have better advice.
I have no real experience in mining either, but I believe this to be poor advice:
After you go solo, you get the big bucks.
Going solo does not increase your expected mining rewards by more than a couple percent (i.e. the pool fees). All it does is take a steady income and turn it into long voids of nothingness and hopefully one or two lump sums.