form430.htm - Generated by SEC Publisher for SEC Filing

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

FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT 
INVESTMENT COMPANY

Investment Company Act file number  811-8703 

Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Michael A. Rosenberg, Esq.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (212) 922-6000 
Date of fiscal year end:  03/31   
Date of reporting period:  06/30/2009   


FORM N-Q

Item 1.  Schedule of Investments. 

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SSL-DOCS2 70180139v2


STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS       
Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund         
June 30, 2009 (Unaudited)         
 
  Coupon  Maturity  Principal   
Bonds and Notes--137.5%  Rate (%)  Date  Amount ($)  Value ($) 

Advertising--1.9%         
Lamar Media,         
       Gtd. Notes, Ser. B  6.63  8/15/15  570,000 a  484,500 
Lamar Media,         
       Gtd. Notes  6.63  8/15/15  4,580,000 a  4,030,400 
        4,514,900 
Automotive, Trucks & Parts--1.8%         
Goodyear Tire & Rubber,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.63  12/1/11  488,000 a  483,120 
Goodyear Tire & Rubber,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.00  7/1/15  1,486,000 a  1,478,570 
Goodyear Tire & Rubber,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  10.50  5/15/16  1,285,000 a  1,304,275 
United Components,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.38  6/15/13  1,925,000 a  1,232,000 
        4,497,965 
Chemicals--1.3%         
Huntsman International,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.88  11/15/14  795,000 a  634,012 
Huntsman,         
       Scd. Notes  11.63  10/15/10  1,809,000 a  1,858,747 
Nalco,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.88  11/15/13  741,000 a  759,525 
        3,252,284 
Commercial & Professional Services--3.1%         
Ceridian,         
       Gtd. Notes  12.25  11/15/15  875,000 a  635,469 
Education Management,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.75  6/1/14  1,642,000 a  1,600,950 
Education Management,         
       Gtd. Notes  10.25  6/1/16  4,084,000 a  4,012,530 


Ipayment,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.75  5/15/14  2,150,000 a  1,171,750 
        7,420,699 
Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Ctfs.--1.9%       
Crown Castle Towers,         
       Ser. 2005-A1, Cl. B  4.88  6/15/35  220,000 b  213,400 
Crown Castle Towers,         
       Ser. 2006-1A, Cl. B  5.36  11/15/36  1,825,000 a,b  1,788,500 
Crown Castle Towers,         
       Ser. 2005-1A, Cl. D  5.61  6/15/35  1,139,000 a,b  1,104,830 
Crown Castle Towers,         
       Ser. 2006-1A, Cl. G  6.80  11/15/36  234,000 a,b  229,320 
SBA CMBS Trust,         
       Ser. 2006-1A, Cl. B  5.45  11/15/36  960,000 b  873,600 
SBA CMBS Trust,         
       Ser. 2005-1A, Cl. E  6.71  11/15/35  330,000 b  306,900 
        4,516,550 
Diversified Financial Services--10.0%         
Dow Jones CDX,         
       Pass Thrus Certificates,         
       Ser. 4-T1  8.25  6/29/10  6,869,280 a,b,c  6,972,319 
Ford Motor Credit,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.38  2/1/11  5,230,000 a  4,736,257 
Ford Motor Credit,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.63  11/1/10  1,650,000 a  1,551,338 
GMAC,         
       Gtd. Notes  6.88  9/15/11  6,890,000 b  6,097,650 
HUB International Holdings,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  10.25  6/15/15  2,725,000 a,b  2,019,906 
Leucadia National,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.00  8/15/13  510,000 a  471,750 
Leucadia National,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.13  3/15/17  1,380,000 a  1,128,150 
Smurfit Kappa Funding,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  7.75  4/1/15  1,606,000 a  1,248,665 
        24,226,035 
Diversified Metals & Mining--3.3%         


Freeport-McMoRan Cooper & Gold,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.25  4/1/15  2,964,000 a  2,997,019 
Freeport-McMoRan Cooper & Gold,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.38  4/1/17  3,235,000 a  3,263,850 
Steel Dynamics,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.38  11/1/12  1,010,000 a  962,025 
Steel Dynamics,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.25  4/15/16  755,000 a,b,d  715,362 
        7,938,256 
Electric Utilities--14.1%         
AES,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.75  10/15/15  5,355,000 a  5,006,925 
AES,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.00  10/15/17  425,000 a  397,375 
Edison Mission Energy,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.00  5/15/17  505,000 a  390,112 
Edison Mission Energy,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.50  6/15/13  2,564,000 a  2,307,600 
Energy Future Holdings,         
       Gtd. Notes  10.88  11/1/17  14,450,000 a  10,620,750 
Mirant North America,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.38  12/31/13  2,735,000 a  2,639,275 
NRG Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.25  2/1/14  1,175,000 a  1,142,687 
NRG Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.38  1/15/17  5,255,000 a  4,965,975 
NV Energy,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.63  3/15/14  3,467,000 a  3,432,351 
Orion Power Holdings,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  12.00  5/1/10  1,395,000 a  1,450,800 
RRI Energy,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.63  6/15/14  2,045,000 a  1,881,400 
        34,235,250 
Environmental Control--.4%         
WCA Waste,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.25  6/15/14  1,070,000 a  976,375 
Food & Beverages--.9%         


SUPERVALU,         
       Sr. Unscd. Bonds  7.50  11/15/14  195,000 a  188,175 
SUPERVALU,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.00  5/1/16   2,160,000  2,106,000 
        2,294,175 
Health Care--17.7%         
Bausch & Lomb,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.88  11/1/15  8,715,000 a  8,366,400 
Community Health Systems,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.88  7/15/15  3,500,000 a  3,447,500 
Hanger Orthopedic Group,         
       Gtd. Notes  10.25  6/1/14  845,000 a  876,687 
HCA,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  6.30  10/1/12  4,160,000 a  3,837,600 
HCA,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.00  12/15/14  4,000,000 a  3,325,388 
HCA,         
       Scd. Notes  9.25  11/15/16  7,320,000 a  7,228,500 
Inverness Medical Innovations,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  9.00  5/15/16  2,590,000 a  2,512,300 
LVB Acquisition,         
       Gtd. Notes  11.63  10/15/17  13,654,000 a  13,449,190 
        43,043,565 
Lodging & Entertainment--7.4%         
Ameristar Casinos,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.25  6/1/14   1,495,000 a,b  1,532,375 
Boyd Gaming,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  6.75  4/15/14  630,000 a  513,450 
Boyd Gaming,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  7.13  2/1/16  815,000 a  608,194 
Boyd Gaming,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  7.75  12/15/12  1,180,000 a  1,103,300 
Cinemark USA,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.63  6/15/19   2,225,000 a,b  2,208,313 
Isle of Capri Casinos,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.00  3/1/14  2,359,000 a  1,910,790 
MGM Mirage,         


       Gtd. Notes  8.38  2/1/11  3,446,000  2,774,030 
MGM Mirage,         
       Sr.Scd. Notes  10.38  5/15/14   295,000 a,b  307,537 
MGM Mirage,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  11.13  11/15/17  1,225,000 a,b  1,304,625 
Pinnacle Entertainment,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.75  10/1/13  1,295,000 a  1,307,950 
Pokagon Gaming Authority,         
       Sr. Notes  10.38  6/15/14  1,994,000 a,b  1,964,090 
Scientific Games International,         
       Notes  9.25  6/15/19  1,635,000 a,b  1,643,175 
Shingle Springs Tribal Group,         
       Sr. Notes  9.38  6/15/15  1,100,000 a,b  665,500 
        17,843,329 
Machinery--1.2%         
Terex,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.38  1/15/14  3,170,000 a  2,916,400 
Manufacturing--1.8%         
Bombardier,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  6.30  5/1/14  2,200,000 a,b  1,936,000 
Bombardier,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.00  11/15/14  1,050,000 a,b  993,562 
RBS Global & Rexnord,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.50  8/1/14  1,705,000 a  1,466,300 
        4,395,862 
Media--20.7%         
Allbritton Communications,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  7.75  12/15/12  4,400,000 a  3,421,000 
CCH II,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  10.25  9/15/10  8,800,000 a,e  9,328,000 
CCH II,         
       Gtd. Notes  10.25  10/1/13  1,730,000 a,e  1,825,150 
Charter Communications,         
       Scd. Notes  8.38  4/30/14  2,030,000 a,b,e  1,953,875 
CSC Holdings,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.63  7/15/18  890,000 a  828,812 
CSC Holdings,         


       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.50  4/15/14  270,000 a,b  268,987 
DirecTV Holdings Financing,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.63  5/15/16  1,865,000 a  1,823,038 
Dish DBS,         
       Gtd. Notes  6.63  10/1/14  1,175,000  1,086,875 
Dish DBS,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.13  2/1/16  6,245,000 a  5,854,688 
General Cable,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.13  4/1/17  1,990,000 a  1,815,875 
Intelsat Subsidiary Holding,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.88  1/15/15  5,790,000 a  5,616,300 
Kabel Deutschland,         
       Scd. Notes  10.63  7/1/14  2,093,000 a  2,168,871 
LBI Media,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  8.50  8/1/17  1,930,000 a,b  1,025,312 
LIN Television,         
       Gtd. Notes  6.50  5/15/13  820,000 a  594,500 
LIN Television,         
       Gtd. Notes, Ser. B  6.50  5/15/13  1,130,000 a  762,750 
Mediacom,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.50  1/15/13  7,650,000 a  7,324,875 
Nexstar Broadcasting,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.00  1/15/14  44,000 a  16,390 
Nexstar Broadcasting,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.00  1/15/14  134,788 a,b  39,089 
Quebecor Media,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.75  3/15/16  670,000 a  610,537 
Quebecor Media,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.75  3/15/16  3,240,000 a  2,952,450 
Sinclair Television Group,         
       Gtd. Notes  8.00  3/15/12  432,000 a  290,520 
Videotron Ltee,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.13  4/15/18  720,000 b  735,300 
        50,343,194 
Minerals--1.3%         
Teck Resources,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  10.25  5/15/16  290,000 b  304,148 


Teck Resources,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  10.75  5/15/19  2,645,000 b  2,847,755 
        3,151,903 
Oil & Gas--9.2%         
ANR Pipeline,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.00  6/1/25  110,000 a  107,035 
Chesapeake Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.00  8/15/14  2,490,000 a  2,315,700 
Chesapeake Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.25  12/15/18  725,000 a  634,375 
Chesapeake Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.50  9/15/13  920,000 a  885,500 
Chesapeake Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.50  6/15/14  1,035,000 a  985,838 
Chesapeake Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.50  2/15/15  2,985,000 a  3,022,313 
Cie Gen Geophysique,         
       Sr. Notes  9.50  5/15/16  1,660,000 a,b  1,664,150 
Cimarex Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.13  5/1/17  2,375,000 a  2,101,875 
Forest Oil,         
       Sr. Notes  8.50  2/15/14  1,550,000 a,b  1,530,625 
Newfield Exploration,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  6.63  4/15/16  1,105,000 a  1,002,788 
Newfield Exploration,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  7.13  5/15/18  710,000 a  648,763 
PetroHawk Energy,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.13  7/15/13  3,370,000 a  3,370,000 
Petrohawk Energy,         
       Sr. Notes  10.50  8/1/14  435,000 a,b  446,963 
Range Resources,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.25  5/1/18  890,000 a  836,600 
Range Resources,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.50  10/1/17  800,000 a  764,000 
SouthWestern Energy,         
       Sr. Notes  7.50  2/1/18  370,000 a,b  357,050 
Whiting Petroleum,         


       Gtd. Notes  7.25  5/1/13  1,790,000  1,704,975 
        22,378,550 
Packaging & Containers--5.8%         
Aep Industries,  7.88  3/15/13  1,900,000 a  1,726,625 
       Sr. Unscd. Notes         
Bway,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  10.00  4/15/14  2,930,000 a,b  2,937,325 
Crown Americas,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.63  5/15/17  1,745,000 a,b  1,692,650 
Norampac,         
       Gtd. Notes  6.75  6/1/13  3,554,000 a  3,056,440 
Plastipak Holdings,         
       Sr. Notes  8.50  12/15/15  3,515,000 a,b  3,167,894 
Solo Cup,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  10.50  11/1/13  1,610,000 b  1,622,075 
        14,203,009 
Paper & Forest Products--1.5%         
NewPage,         
       Gtd. Notes  12.00  5/1/13  4,900,000 a  1,396,500 
Verso Paper Holdings,         
       Gtd. Notes, Ser. B  11.38  8/1/16  4,855,000 a  1,383,675 
Verso Paper Holdings,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  11.50  7/1/14  835,000 b  768,200 
        3,548,375 
Pipelines--3.4%         
Dynegy Holdings,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.38  5/1/16  3,845,000 a  3,277,863 
Dynegy Holdings,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.75  2/15/12  280,000 a  273,000 
El Paso,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.00  6/15/17  1,295,000 a  1,185,901 
El Paso,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.25  2/15/16  1,000,000 a  977,500 
El Paso,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  12.00  12/12/13  1,935,000 a  2,138,175 
Tennessee Gas Pipeline,         
       Sr. Notes  8.00  2/1/16  285,000  299,962 


        8,152,401 
Real Estate Investment Trusts--.6%         
Host Hotels & Resorts,         
       Gtd. Notes, Ser. M  7.00  8/15/12  550,000 a  533,500 
Host Hotels & Resorts,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.13  11/1/13  900,000 a  850,500 
        1,384,000 
Retail--2.3%         
Amerigas Partners,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.25  5/20/15  2,260,000 a  2,130,050 
Rite Aid,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  10.38  7/15/16  3,835,000 a  3,470,675 
        5,600,725 
Technology--9.0%         
Amkor Technologies,         
       Sr. Notes  9.25  6/1/16  1,455,000 a  1,354,969 
Ceridian,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  11.25  11/15/15  10,320,000 a,d  8,681,700 
First Data,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.88  9/24/15  3,390,000 a  2,423,850 
Sungard Data Systems,         
       Gtd. Notes  9.13  8/15/13  1,000 a  950 
Sungard Data Systems,         
       Gtd. Notes  10.25  8/15/15  10,000,000 a  9,287,500 
        21,748,969 
Telecommunications--14.0%         
Arch Western Finance,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  6.75  7/1/13   1,375,000 a,d  1,261,562 
Belden,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.00  3/15/17  700,000 a  623,000 
Centennial Cellular Operating,         
       Gtd. Notes  10.13  6/15/13  1,430,000 a  1,481,838 
Centennial Communications,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.13  2/1/14  940,000 a,d  965,850 
Centennial Communications,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  10.00  1/1/13  3,754,000 a  3,979,240 
Crown Castle International,         


       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.00  1/15/15  2,225,000 a  2,275,063 
Digicel Group,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.88  1/15/15  4,270,000 a,b  3,565,450 
Digicel Group,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.13  1/15/15  2,439,000 a,b  2,036,565 
Digicel,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  12.00  4/1/14   780,000 b  776,100 
Frontier Communications,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.25  5/1/14   240,000 a  228,000 
Inmarsat Finance II,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  10.38  11/15/12  2,475,000 a,d  2,574,000 
Inmarsat Finance,         
       Sr. Scd. Notes  7.63  6/30/12   632,000 a  619,360 
Intelsat Jackson Holdings,         
       Gtd. Notes  11.25  6/15/16  7,255,000  7,436,375 
Intelsat,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  7.63  4/15/12   845,000  756,275 
Nordic Telephone Holdings,         
       Sr. Scd. Bonds  8.88  5/1/16   415,000 a,b  402,550 
Qwest,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  8.38  5/1/16   465,000 a,b  451,050 
Sprint Capital,         
       Gtd. Notes  6.88  11/15/28  2,275,000 a  1,626,625 
Telesat Canada,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  11.00  11/1/15  1,725,000 b  1,776,750 
Telesat Canada,         
       Sr. Sub. Notes  12.50  11/1/17   570,000 b  564,300 
Wind Acquisition Finance,         
       Sr. Scd. Bonds  10.75  12/1/15   575,000 a,b  577,875 
        33,977,828 
Textiles & Apparel--2.4%         
Invista,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.25  5/1/12  4,405,000 a,b  4,173,738 
Levi Strauss & Co.,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  9.75  1/15/15  1,580,000 a  1,560,250 
        5,733,988 

Transportation--.1%


Bristow Group,         
       Gtd. Notes  7.50  9/15/17   225,000 a  205,313 
Utilities--.4%         
Ferrellgas,         
       Sr. Unscd. Notes  6.75  5/1/14  1,170,000 a  1,017,900 
Total Bonds and Notes         
       (cost $350,571,754)        333,517,800 
 
Preferred Stocks--.0%      Shares  Value ($) 
Media         
Spanish Broadcasting System,         
       Ser. B, Cum. $107.5         
       (cost $2,256,546)      2,182 a  21,823 
 
Other Investment--1.6%         
Registered Investment Company;         
Dreyfus Institutional Preferred         
       Plus Money Market Fund         
       (cost $3,742,000)      3,742,000 f  3,742,000 
 
Total Investments (cost $356,570,300)      139.1%  337,281,623 
Liabilities, Less Cash and Receivables      (39.1%)  (94,762,015) 
Net Assets      100.0%  242,519,608 

a      Collateral for Revolving Credit and Security Agreement.
b      Securities exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers. At June 30, 2009, these securities amounted to $68,562,740 or 28.3% of net assets.
c      Security linked to a portfolio of debt securities.
d      Variable rate security--interest rate subject to periodic change.
e      Non-income producing--security in default.
f      Investment in affiliated money market mutual fund.

At June 30, 2009, the aggregate cost of investment securities for income tax purposes was $356,542,300. Net unrealized depreciation on investments was $19,288,677 of which $7,864,291 related to appreciated investment securities and $27,152,968 related to depreciated investment securities.


At June 30, 2009, the fund held the following forward foreign currency exchange contracts:   
 
 
        Unrealized 
Forward Foreign Currency  Foreign      Appreciation 
Exchange Contracts  Currency Amount  Proceeds ($)  Value ($)  at 6/30/2009 ($) 
Sale         
Euro, expiring 7/24/2009  1,570,000  2,212,114  2,202,558  9,556 


Various inputs are used in determining the value of the fund's investments relating to FAS 157. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below 
 
              Level 1 - quoted prices in active markets for identical investments. 
              Level 2 - other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, 
                            credit risk, etc.). 
              Level 3 - significant unobservable inputs (including the fund's own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments). 
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing 
in those securities. 
The following is a summary of the inputs used as of June 30, 2009 in valuing the fund's investments: 

    Level 2 - Other Significant  Level 3 -Significant   
Assets ($)  Level 1 -Quoted Prices  Observable Inputs  Unobservable Inputs  Total 
Investments in Securities:         
Corporate Bonds    329,001,250    329,001,250 
Commercial Mortgage-backed    4,516,550    4,516,550 
Equity Securities - Domestic  -  21,823  -  21,823 
Mutual Funds  3,742,000  -  -  3,742,000 
Other Financial Instruments+  -  9,556  -  9,556 
Liabilities ($)         
Other Financial Instruments+         

† Other financial instruments include derivative instruments, such as futures, forward currency exchange contracts, swap contracts and options contracts. Amounts shown represents unrealized appreciation (depreciation), or in the case of options, market value at period end.

.


The fund adopted FASB Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 161 “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (“FAS 161”). FAS 161 requires qualitative disclosures about objectives and strategies for using derivatives, quantitative disclosures about fair value amounts of gains and losses on derivative instruments and disclosures about credit-risk-related contingent features in derivative agreements. All changes to accounting policies and disclosures have been made in accordance with FAS 161 and are incorporated for the current period as part of the disclosures within this Note.

Portfolio valuation: Investments in securities excluding shortterm investments (other than U.S. Treasury Bills), financial futures, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts are valued each business day by an independent pricing service (the “Service”) approved by the Board of Trustees. Investments for which quoted bid prices are readily available and are representative of the bid side of the market in the judgment of the Service are valued at the mean between the quoted bid prices (as obtained by the Service from dealers in such securities) and asked prices (as calculated by the Service based upon its evaluation of the market for such securities). Other investments (which constitute a majority of the portfolio securities) are valued as determined by the Service, based on methods which include consideration of: yields or prices of securities of comparable quality, coupon, maturity and type; indications as to values from dealers; and general market conditions. Restricted securities, as well as securities or other assets for which recent market quotations are not readily available, that are not valued by a pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees, or are determined by the fund not to reflect accurately fair value, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under the direction of the Board of Trustees. The factors that may be considered when fair valuing a security include fundamental analytical data, the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition, an evaluation of the forces that influence the market in which the securities are purchased and sold and public trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable issuers. Short-term investments, excluding U.S. Treasury Bills, are carried at amortized cost, which approximates value. Registered investment companies that are not traded on an exchange are valued


at their net asset value. Financial futures and options, which are traded on an exchange, are valued at the last sales price on the securities exchange on which such securities are primarily traded or at the last sales price on the national securities market on each business day. Options traded over-the-counter are priced at the mean between the bid and asked price. Investments denominated in foreign currencies are translated to U.S. dollars at the prevailing rates of exchange. Forward currency exchange contracts are valued at the forward rate. Investments in swap transactions are valued each business day by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. Swaps are valued by the service by using a swap pricing model which incorporates among other factors, default probabilities, recovery rates, credit curves of the underlying issuer and swap spreads on interest rates.

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: The fund may enter into forward contracts in order to hedge its exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates on its foreign portfolio holdings, to settle foreign currency transactions or as a part of an investment strategy. When executing forward contracts, the fund is obligated to buy or sell a foreign currency at a specified rate on a certain date in the future. With respect to sales of forward contracts, the fund would incur a loss if the value of the contracts increase between the date the forward contracts are opened and the date the forward contracts are closed. The fund realizes a gain if the value of the contracts decrease between those dates. With respect to purchases of forward contracts, the fund would incur a loss if the value of the contracts decrease between the date the forward contracts are opened and the date the forward contracts are closed. The fund realizes a gain if the value of the contracts increase between those dates. The fund is also exposed to credit risk associated with counterparty nonperformance on these forward contracts, which is typically limited to the unrealized gain on each open contract.

Additional investment related disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference to the annual and semi-annual reports previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-CSR.


Item 2.  Controls and Procedures. 

(a) The Registrant's principal executive and principal financial officers have concluded, based on their evaluation of the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report, that the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Registrant on Form N-Q is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the required time periods and that information required to be disclosed by the Registrant in the reports that it files or submits on Form N-Q is accumulated and communicated to the Registrant's management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(b) There were no changes to the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant's most recently ended fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Item 3.  Exhibits. 

(a) Certifications of principal executive and principal financial officers as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund

By:  /s/ J. David Officer 
  J. David Officer 
President         
 
Date:  August 12, 2009 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

By:  /s/ J. David Officer 
  J. David Officer 
President         
 
Date:  August 12, 2009 

By:  /s/ James Windels 
  James Windels 
Treasurer        
 
Date:  August 12, 2009 

EXHIBIT INDEX

     (a) Certifications of principal executive and principal financial officers as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. (EX-99.CERT)

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