We demonstrate and analyze the acousto-optic coupling between two optical polarization modes of the LP(01) mode propagating in a highly birefringent photonic crystal fiber. The coupling is realized based on wavelength selective acousto-optic coupling by traveling torsional acoustic wave in an all-fiber tunable polarization filter configuration. The dispersion properties of the torsional acoustic wave in the photonic crystal fiber and the influence of axial non-uniformity in the modal birefringence on the filter transmission are discussed in detail. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.