8-K

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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) January 8, 2014


                    First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)



       Massachusetts                   811-21842                  86-1157779
(State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
     of Incorporation)                                       Identification No.)


   120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400
           Wheaton, Illinois                                        60187
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                          (Zip Code)


      Registrant's telephone number, including area code   (630) 765-8000


       ___________________________________________________________________
         (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report.)



Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):


|_|   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
      (17 CFR 230.425)

|_|   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
      (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





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Item 7.01    Regulation FD Disclosure.


First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II (the "Fund") is filing herewith a
press release issued on January 8, 2014, as Exhibit 99.1. The press release was
issued by First Trust Advisors L.P. to report that on January 23, 2014, the
Fund will host a conference call with Brookfield Investment Management, Inc.,
the Fund's investment sub-advisor. The purpose of the call is to hear
Brookfield's portfolio management team provide updates for the Fund and the
Market. Details regarding the conference call are contained in the press release
included herein.



Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits.


     (d)   Exhibits

        Exhibit
        Number        Description

           99.1       Press release of First Trust Advisors L.P. dated
                      January 8, 2014.





                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: January 8, 2014           FIRST TRUST STRATEGIC HIGH INCOME FUND II

                                 By:    /s/ W. Scott Jardine
                                        ----------------------------------
                                 Name:   W. Scott Jardine
                                 Title:  Secretary





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

        Exhibit
        Number        Description

           99.1       Press release of First Trust Advisors L.P. dated
                      January 8, 2014.

EX-99.1

PRESS RELEASE                                 SOURCE:  First Trust Advisors L.P.

FIRST TRUST ADVISORS L.P. ANNOUNCES PORTFOLIO MANAGER CONFERENCE CALL FOR FIRST
TRUST STRATEGIC HIGH INCOME FUND II

WHEATON, IL -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- January 8, 2014 -- First Trust Advisors L.P.
("FTA") announced today that First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II (NYSE:
FHY) intends to host a conference call with Brookfield Investment Management,
Inc. ("Brookfield"), the Fund's investment sub-advisor, on THURSDAY, JANUARY 23,
2014, AT 4:15 P.M. EASTERN TIME. The purpose of the call is to hear Brookfield's
portfolio management team provide updates for the Fund and the Market.

      --    Dial-in Number: (866) 865-6631; International (706) 679-1727; and
            Passcode # 30443283. Please call 10 to 15 minutes before the
            scheduled start of the teleconference.

      --    Telephone Replay: (855) 859-2056; International (404) 537-3406; and
            Passcode # 30443283. The replay will be available after the call
            until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on Sunday, February 23, 2014.

FTA has served as the Fund's investment advisor since the Fund's inception. FTA,
along with its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P., are privately-held
companies which provide a variety of investment services, including asset
management and financial advisory services, with collective assets under
management or supervision of over $85 billion as of December 31, 2013, through
unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds
and separate managed accounts.

Brookfield Investment Management Inc. ("Brookfield") serves as the Fund's
investment sub-advisor. Brookfield is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brookfield
Asset Management, a global alternative asset manager with approximately $184
billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2013. Brookfield Asset
Management has over a 100-year history of owning and operating assets with a
focus on property, renewable power, infrastructure and private equity. The
company offers a range of public and private investment products and services,
which leverage its expertise and experience and provide it with a competitive
advantage in the markets where it operates. On behalf of its clients, Brookfield
Asset Management is also an active investor in the public securities markets,
where its experience extends over 30 years. Over this time, the company has
successfully developed several investment operations and built expertise in the
management of institutional portfolios, retail mutual funds, and structured
product investments. Brookfield Asset Management's public market activities are
conducted by Brookfield, a registered investment advisor. These activities
complement Brookfield Asset Management's core competencies and include global
listed real estate and infrastructure equities, corporate high yield
investments, opportunistic credit strategies and a dedicated insurance asset
management division. Headquartered in New York, NY, Brookfield maintains offices
and investment teams in Toronto, Chicago, Boston, and London and has over $10
billion of assets under management as of September 30, 2013.

If you have questions about the Funds that you would like answered on the call,
please email your questions to cefquestions@ftadvisors.com and refer to FHY by
Tuesday, January 21, 2014, 6:00 P.M Eastern Time.

Past performance is no assurance of future results. Investment return and market
value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate. Shares, when sold, may be
worth more or less than their original cost.

Principal Risk Factors: Investment in this Fund involves investment and market
risk, management risk, value investing risk, below-investment grade securities
risk, fixed-income securities risk, mortgage-backed securities risk,
asset-backed securities risk, convertible securities risk, municipal securities
risk, non-U.S. securities risk, non-U.S. government securities risk, equity
securities risk, currency risk, distressed securities risk, preferred stock
risk, inflation/deflation risk, market discount risk, leverage risk, derivatives
risk, market disruption risk, portfolio turnover risk, and illiquid/restricted
securities risk.

Below-investment grade securities are commonly referred to as "high-yield" or
"junk" bonds and are considered speculative with respect to the issuer's
capacity to pay interest and repay principal. These securities are susceptible
to default or decline in market value due to adverse economic and business
developments. The market values for high-yield securities tend to be very
volatile, and these securities are less liquid than investment grade debt
securities. For these reasons, your investment in the Fund is subject to the
following specific risks: (a) increased price sensitivity to changing interest
rates and to a deteriorating economic environment; (b) greater risk of loss due
to default or declining credit quality; (c) adverse company specific events are
more likely to render the issuer unable to make interest and/or principal
payments; and (d) a negative perception of the high-yield market may depress the
price and liquidity of high-yield securities.

The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the prospectus,
shareholder reports, and other regulatory filings.

The Fund's daily closing New York Stock Exchange price and net asset value per
share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by
calling 1-800-988-5891.


CONTACT: JEFF MARGOLIN -- (630) 915-6784


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Source:  First Trust Advisors L.P.