A fishing reel includes: a reel body; a spool rotatably supported by the reel body; a handle shaft rotatably supported by the reel body; a handle arm provided at a distal end of the handle shaft; a transmission mechanism that transmits a rotation of the handle shaft to the spool via a drag device capable of adjusting braking force; and a braking force controlling element rotatably supported by the handle shaft, the braking force controlling element including an adjusting portion for adjusting the braking force applied to the drag device and an operation portion for the adjusting portion. The operation portion radially extends from an axis center of the handle shaft, and includes a bent portion which is formed at an intermediate portion of the operation portion and bent toward the reel body side.