CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 30A-2(B) UNDER THE 1940 ACT AND
                      SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT

I, James A. Bowen, Chairman of the Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer
of First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II (the "Registrant"), certify that:

         1.     The Form N-CSR of the Registrant  (the "Report")  fully complies
                with  the   requirements  of  Section  13(a)  or  15(d)  of  the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

         2.     The information  contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
                material  respects,  the  financial  condition  and  results  of
                operations of the Registrant.


Date:    JUNE 29, 2007                             /S/ JAMES A. BOWEN
     ---------------------                --------------------------------------
                                          James A. Bowen, Chairman of the Board,
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer
                                          (principal executive officer)


I, Mark R. Bradley,  Treasurer,  Controller,  Chief Financial  Officer and Chief
Accounting   Officer  of  First  Trust   Strategic  High  Income  Fund  II  (the
"Registrant"), certify that:

         1.     The Form N-CSR of the Registrant  (the "Report")  fully complies
                with  the   requirements  of  Section  13(a)  or  15(d)  of  the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

         2.     The information  contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
                material  respects,  the  financial  condition  and  results  of
                operations of the Registrant.


Date:    JUNE 29, 2007                            /S/ MARK R. BRADLEY
     -------------------------           ---------------------------------------
                                         Mark R. Bradley, Treasurer, Controller,
                                         Chief Financial Officer and Chief
                                         Accounting Officer
                                         (principal financial officer)