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: December 20, 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: December 20, 2007          /s/ Mark R. Bradley
      ------------------         ----------------------------------------------
                                 Mark R. Bradley, Treasurer, Controller,
                                 Chief Financial Officer and Chief
                                 Accounting Officer
                                 (principal financial officer)